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I'm moving!

2009-08-03T14:07:00.002-04:00

This blog is being moved to a new name. From now on, I will be blogging about books at librarytwitt.blogspot.com Why the move? I'm trying to be consistent and make it easier for readers to find me. I am known as librarytwitt on Twitter. My tweets are mostly about websites and books I find interesting or helpful. You can also send a direct message to me if you need help with a research project or a book suggestion. So Twitter is completely mobile...if you have a smartphone you can Twitter. Join up and follow me at LibraryTwitt. I moved my blog and named it to match my Twitter name. In my blog, I will only share books and websites I have read or used.

Also, I encourage you to comment both on Twitter and Blogspot...talking about this stuff is twice as much fun! Share what you are reading and looking at on the Internet.

Summer Reading Suggestions

2009-06-27T12:22:00.003-04:00

Every year, people ask for a summer reading list. This year I actually had time to compile one. Somehow the Boston Globe saw it (the Internet is an amazing thing) and interviewed me for an article. Haven't seen it yet so it may never get published. You might like the list anyhow. It features links to author websites as well as to Amazon. Let me know here if you like it. Click here to go to the list.

Hunger by Michael Grant

2009-06-27T12:06:00.002-04:00

Sequels are often disappointing, especially in a projected series. So I started Hunger hoping for the best but expecting the worst. This is a true sequel...no annoying recaps of the first book taking up a lot of room. The children of Perdido Beach are now facing an enemy worse than Caine and his scary pack of murderous preppies: hunger. All the junk food is gone and the good food has rotted (of course! little kids would always choose cookies over chicken!). Sam is desperately trying to hold it all together by harvesting farmers' fields. The problem is that they are all being guarded by worms with deadly teeth (another mutation). As hunger weakens the children, Caine makes his move to conquer his brother and serve the dark being in the mine. And Sam ends up fighting a war for survival on multiple fronts.

Jodi Picoult's New Book

2009-04-22T17:16:00.002-04:00

Check out this video which will tell you all about Handle With Care in Jodi's own words and voice.

Happy 25th, House on Mango Street!

2009-04-09T10:22:00.002-04:00

And here's an interview with the author:

And here's an interview with the author:

Can You Summarize In Six Words?

2009-03-25T09:48:00.003-04:00

Ernest Hemingway famously wrote a six word memoir: "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Used." That tells quite a story, doesn't it? In Not Quite What I Planned (SC Str), the editors of Smith Magazine solicited "famous and not so famous" writers to submit their own six word memoirs. Here's one of my favorites: "Followed rules, not dreams. Never again." I could think about that one all day. So here's your chance...submit a six word memoir to our Comments section. We'll put them all on a page in the library website for semi-immortality. The only restriction...keep it clean! Oh wait, you want mine? Here it is: Some dreams deferred, but never forgotten. Your turn....

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-02-23T12:03:00.002-05:00

'“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
"Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were the "wintergirls," forever frozen in their obsession to be thin. They need to be in control by not eating, by purging, by exercising, by cutting. But when Cassie goes too far and dies, Lia is haunted by her former best friend, by her own guilt, and by the fear that she might be next. Can a wintergirl bloom in the spring?

Is it duct tape or duck tape?

2009-01-27T08:09:00.002-05:00

We all use that amazing silver, supersticky tape to hold together practically everything. Is it "duck tape" or "duct tape?" That's one of the interesting questions answered in Discover’s 20 Things You Didn’t Know About Everything. You'll find out about germs, airport security, bees, meteors, birth, death, milk, mosquitoes, and much, much more.

Or, if you're still interested in duck/duct tape...how about making this nifty tool belt? One of the many projects in Ductigami by Joe Wilson. [745.5 Wil]

Holiday Presents from the Library!

2008-12-17T12:24:00.006-05:00

Great vacation reading, all tied up in a holiday bow! Just look for this sign to try out a special bundle of books.

Here's a list of all the bundles:

Take a Hike! (Girl who Loved Tom Gordon [King]; A Walk in the Woods [Bryson]; Walk My Way [Dixon])

Knit One Read Three (Chicks with Sticks [Lenhard]; Chick With Sticks sequel [Lenhard]; Knitting School)

A Tea Party with Jane Austen (Emma [Austen]; Jane Fairfax [Aiken]; Letters of Jane Austen [Austen]; What Jane Austen Ate and Carles Dickens Knew [Pool] )

Civil War: Real and Imagined (March [Brooks]; Traveler [Adams]; Photos by Brady)

Click: 3 About Photography (Razzle [Wittlinger]; Class Pictures [Bey]; Voices in the Mirror [Parks])

Angels and Demons for Fun (Maximum Ride [Paterson]; Good Omens [Gaiman]; Repossesed [Jenkins])

Getting in to College Blues (Catalyst [Anderson]; Where Do I Go From Here; Good Enough [Yoo]

Fangs (Gil’s All Fright Diner [Martinez]; Silver Kiss [Klause]; Encyclopedia Horrifica [Gee]

Brr...Arctic Adventures (North Pole Was Here [Revkin]; Cage [Schulman]; White Darkness [McCaughrean])

Environmental Crisis 3 Ways ( Earth Matters [DK]; Forty Signs of Rain [Robinson]; State of Fear [Crichton] )

Engineers Can Build Anything (The Big Dig; Aftermath [Florman]; Gecko’s Foot [Forbes] )

Are There Secrets Anymore? (Numerati [Baker]; Feed [Anderson]; Traveler [Adams])

Hoops (Lay-ups and Long Shots; Rebound: the Odyssey of Michael Jordan [Green]; Eagle Blue [d’Orso]

Love...100 Years Ago (The Luxe [Godbersen]; Ragtime [Doctorow]; Northern Light [Donnely] )

Take me Out to the Ballgame! (Satchel Paige [Sturm]; The Negro League [Margolies]; Summerland [Chabon] )

Many Roads to Recovery (Million Little Pieces [Frey]; Big Sur [Kerouac]; Generation RX [Crister] )

Blood, Guts and DNA (Grave Secrets [Reichs]; Bone Lady [Manhein]; Casebook of Forensic Detection [Evans])

Poof!

2008-10-16T22:18:00.002-04:00

Sam Temple is sitting in his U.S. History class, bored out of his mind. And then POOF!
His teacher vanishes. As Sam and his classmates come to realize, everyone over the age of 15 has disappeared. Cars crash because their drivers aren't there anymore. Over the next few weeks, Sam and his small circle of friends try to keep the little children safe, the power running, the town fed and the bullies at bay. But new kids in town with startling powers threaten the peace. Animals are mutating and down in the depths of a mine, an unspeakable darkness threatens every human in town. Can Sam save the town before his 15th birthday. Because Sam knows that on his birthday, he, too, will disappear.

A Fresh Twist on Little Women

2008-10-03T14:00:00.003-04:00

"March," by Geraldine Brooks is the winner of this year's Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Ms. Brooks has always been a fan of Louisa May Alcott's classic "Little Women." She began to speculate about the father of the March girls, who was away at war for most of the first half of the book. The result of that speculation is this novel about war, race, faith and honor.

My field trip to Concord

2008-08-31T13:21:00.006-04:00

I mentioned in my end of the year entry that I was going to visit Concord for a literary field trip. Mrs. Scully (who has left Newton North for a new job at Newton South) and I went to Concord together. We visited Orchard House, home of Louisa May Alcott.
If you have read Little Women, you would love this tour. My favorite part was seeing all the drawings by May Alcott (aka Amy March)...it seems that the Alcott's encouraged their daughter to draw directly on the walls!

After lunch at the Concord Inn in the center of town, we headed for the Old Manse. This house was built in 1770 by Ralph Waldo Emerson's grandfather, a minister in town. On April 18, 1775 the Battle of Lexington and Concord was fought just yards from Emerson's pasture. From an upstairs bedroom you can look out a window and see the bridge and imagine the British troops running away and the wounded Minutemen collapsing in the field. Those same windows are engraved with some amusing details of daily life by Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife, Sophia. They lived in the Old Manse right after they married. Ralph Waldo Emerson also lived there for a while and wrote the following lines you may recognize:

"By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world."

He wrote Concord Hymn while looking out that same window. I was inspired by my trip to plan rereading two books I would recommend to anyone. 1776 by David McCullough is a great look at the beginning of the American Revolution. It's fairly short and filled with wonderful stories and characters. The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall is my other reread. Sophia Peabody was married to Nathanial Hawthorne and her diamond ring was used to engrave on the windows of the Old Manse. The three sisters were amazing ladies and Megan Marshall (a Newton author) did a great job bringing them to life.

Next field trip: a visit to Mt. Auburn Cemetery. I recently finished The Escher Twist by Jane Langton. It's a murder mystery which combines math (Escher, Moebius Strips, etc.) and the history of the cemetery. Can't wait to track down all the landmarks in this amazing place. Want to come??

Summer Round-up of my "Best Books"

2008-08-31T12:32:00.005-04:00

Yes, I've been reading all summer. No, not everything was worth writing about. Below you'll find the best of what I read, with a little something to see if you'd like to read it too. All will be available in the library sometime in September.

In Life as We Knew It, Susan Beth Pfeffer told the harrowing story of Miranda, trying to survive a natural disaster in rural Pennsylvania. In her new book, The Dead and the Gone, Pfeffer introduces us to Alex, who is trying to survive the same disaster in New York City. Alex's mother is working in a hospital on the other side of the city when disaster strikes. She never comes home, leaving Alex to try to survive on his own and to take care of his two younger sisters. The only beacon of hope in this violent and deprived New York is his school, where dedicated priests try to keep school open and food in the bellies of the hungry students. You will not soon forget Alex's difficult journey to Yankee Stadium. The stadium has been turned into a morgue and Alex is looking for his mother.

Rumors continues the story of Elizabeth and Diana, two high society sisters in 1890's New York. Elizabeth has headed West to find her true love and Diana, in love with her sister's former fiance, struggle to find love in the society world of decorum, rules and gossip. A solid sequel to The Luxe, this book needs to be read after reading the first. My favorite part of this book is the story of Lena, a former maid, trying to claw her way into high society. She doesn't have looks, she doesn't have breeding,but she is one determined lady and discovers how to lie effortlessly and often.

Cadel is a 7 year old genius who is so engrossed in his projects he never thinks about consequences.When he shuts down all the electricity in the city to see if he can, his adoptive parents take hime to a psychiatrist. Little do they know that Dr. Thaddeus Roth is really a henchman for notorious criminal Dr. Phineas Darkkon. Roth and Darkkon want to use Cadel for their own evil agenda. Will Cadel become a true Evil Genius or will he develop a conscience?

Summertime: What's in My Bag

2008-06-11T08:31:00.011-04:00

I started reading this series many years ago. I was excited when PBS Mystery announced they were turning them into one hour mysteries. I was annoyed when the Inspector Lynley series completely messed up the books. Tommy Lynley is an elegant, titled Englishman (he's a Lord!) who has chosen to be a professional police detective specializing in homicide. His partner, Barbara Havers, is the polar opposite: dowdy, unpretty, lower class, abrasive and rude. Together, they make a fabulous team. Other characters deepen the personal story, which unwinds as the pair solve the mysteries. This is her newest book. If you are interested in the series, it starts with A Great Deliverance.

Authors On Tour Live: Elizabeth George

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz won an Alex Award for best adult book for young adults. The description in Amazon convinced me: Meet Isabel "Izzy" Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors -- but the upshot is she's good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family's firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people's privacy comes naturally to Izzy. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. To be a Spellman is to snoop on a Spellman; tail a Spellman; dig up dirt on, blackmail, and wiretap a Spellman.

And since gas is so darned expensive, I'm planning some local field trips, including one to Concord. To get ready, I'm reading some books about the writers of Concord in the early 1800's. American Bloomsbury by Susan Cheever was an amazing collection of essays. I had no idea what scandalous lives Emerson, Hawthorne, etc. lived. Would you believe that Louisa May Alcott had a crush on Henry David Thoreau? That Nathaniel Hawthorne courted one Peabody girl and then suddenly married her sister? Or that Margaret Fuller, a brilliant and brainy "modern" woman, had two married men vying for her attention? (The two men were Emerson and Hawthorne!) Having read this book, I'm dipping into Hawthorne in Concord by Philip McFarland and The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall. I love a good scandal, even if it is 180 years old! After, or during all this reading, I will head down the road to Concord and visit the Emerson House, the Old Manse, and the Alcott's Orchard House. A truly geeky summer trip!

Summertime: Graphic Novels http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifand Comics

2008-06-01T23:21:00.008-04:00

The Dark Knight is scheduled to open soon...don't forget to read the graphic novels by Frank Miller. Need more comics? Check out this list from my favorite blogger, Whitney, in Pop Candy. She was a judge for the Eisner awards this year for best graphic novels and really knows the field. Here are just some of her recommendations:

Top 25 (some are adult in content)
Family Friendly

Do you like to draw and write comics? Check out Webcomics by Steven Withrow and John Barber. The authors give practical advise on "tools and techniques for digital cartooning" and interview well known webcomic creators.

Can't draw but have something to say in this medium? Check out this free website. It helps you put together your own comic strips, even if you can't draw a straight line!

Summer Reading Ideas Are Cominghttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

2008-06-01T22:49:00.003-04:00

Newton North doesn't have mandatory reading lists for students for the summer. That doesn't mean we don't think it's important (and fun) to read on vacation. It does mean that you should read what you love, whether it's Rowling or Dickens, Shakespeare or Stephen King. But sometimes it's nice to have some suggestions, so I will be blogging this week to mention some books not mentioned in this blog already. I'll try to give you choices in every genre, as well as some nonfiction books for those of you who prefer reality to fiction! I have two baskets full of books waiting for my vacation...start building your own summer survival kit!

Click here to access the suggestions!

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

2008-06-01T22:37:00.002-04:00

The popular author Sophie Kinsella (of Shopoholic fame) introduces a new heroine with a big problem. Lexi Smart wakes up in the hospital with a case of amnesia caused by a head injury. The last thing she remembers is being a loser: crooked teeth, frizzy hair, no money and a dead-end job. But apparently the three years she can't remember were big ones: she's now sleek, sophisticated, rich, a successful businesswoman and married. But as she tries to reconstruct her recent history, Lexi begins to dislike the woman she became. If you're a fan of Samantha Who? or are just in the mood for a funny and touching story, this is the book for you.

Check out this book trailer for THE LUXE!

2008-05-13T15:26:00.002-04:00

2008-04-23T16:42:00.002-04:00

Shelter Stories is a compilation of Patrick McDonnell's comic strip MUTTS, a strip intended to shine a light on the many animals living in shelters and waiting for homes. You'll meet feral cats and abandoned bunnies, dogs who grew too big for their owners, puppies born on the streets and animals displaced in tragedies like Hurricane Katrina. In all their stories, the common thread is that, in a single act of love and generosity, anyone can make a difference by adopting such an animal or, if you can't , by supporting the shelters which do this heroic work. The comic strips are complemented by photographs of adopted animals with brief commentary by their new owners. You will not soon forget the blind bird given a home by an optometrist or the old warrior cat, ears torn and face scarred, who was given a loving home for the last days of his life.

Gossip Girls Meet the 1890's

2008-03-14T08:40:00.009-04:00

Manhattan high society 1899.

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Beautiful girls in fabulous dresses, partying until dawn. Charming boys. Lies, secrets, hookups.

The princess of high society, Elizabeth Holland, dies in a carriage accident. What led her to that bridge and that fate? Was it a society marriage being forced on her? Or her backstabbing best friend? Her vengeful and jealous maid? Or her quiet sister's stunning betrayal.

The Luxe by Anna Godberson.

"This is the way the world ends" Part 5

2008-03-12T21:50:00.002-04:00

We take so many things for granted. Washing and drying our clothes, calling friends and family around the world on our cell phones, looking something up on the internet, having enough to eat and drink, being warm in the winter and cool in the summer and even going to school seem like things that can't ever go away. In Jericho, a series of bombs cripple the nation and force the characters to work hard for simple survival. In Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, an equally disastrous incident leaves 16 year old Miranda and her family struggling just to stay alive. Written in diary form, Miranda tells of her transition from normal teen to skeletal survivor over a period of a year. Here's a question to make you think about the issues in this book: If you had to survive with no help from anyone (no stores, utility companies, gas stations!) for one year, what would you buy to help you survive? Don't forget the batteries!!

"This is the way the world ends" Part 4

2008-03-12T21:34:00.002-04:00

What would the earth look like if every human disappeared tomorrow? That's the gloomy question that Professor Alan Weisman tries to answer in The World Without Us. Within days, the subway pumps would fail in New York City and most buildings (except the skyscrapers) would be under water. Pressures would build up in the oil rigs in Houston and massive explosions would occur. Most materials things would rust or rot away. But plastic would still be around for centuries! Part nonfiction and part guesswork, this book will give science fiction writers of the future plenty to think about.

"This is the way the world ends" Part 3

2008-03-12T21:25:00.002-04:00

Deadly chemicals from a government research lab leak into the air and travel by winds across America. Only a handful of survivors are left. Some are called by Mother Abigail to be the army of goodness. Others are recruited by the "traveling man" to finish the job the government started: destroy the world. Can a failed musician, an elderly professor and a simple country boy defeat the forces of the dark side? This battle is The Stand by Stephen King.

"This is the way the world ends" Part 2

2008-03-12T21:12:00.003-04:00

In the savage days after a war nearly destroys North America, Gordon Krantz is just trying to survive. He has no hope...nobody does. Roving gangs terrorize the survivors. and Gordon takes to the road, not knowing where he's going. He comes across a car with a dead mail carrier inside. Gordon takes the dead man's jacket because Gordon is cold and the dead don't mind the cold. When he reaches the next group of survivors, they think he is the postman and that things are getting better. They give him letters to deliver to their missing loved ones. And without meaning to do this, the Postman becomes a symbol of hope and, eventually, a legend. The Postman by David Brin.

"This is the way the world ends" Part 1

2008-03-12T20:56:00.003-04:00

There has been a chemical or nuclear war and 16 year old Ann Burden has watched her entire family sicken and die. The nearby towns are empty. Ann fears that she may be the last person left on earth. Then, one morning, everything changes. As Ann tells us: "I am afraid. Someone is coming. That is, I think someone is coming and I pray that I am wrong. I went into the church and prayed all morning. I sprinkled water in front of the altar, and put some flowers on it, violets and dogwood. But there is smoke. Not like the time before. That time, last year, it rose in a great cloud a long way away. But this time it is a thin column, not very high.... And it's moving closer each day." Ann is right: someone is coming. Will he be a friend, or an enemy? Is there something worse than being the last person on Earth?
Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien

A look at the Future Part 4

2008-03-12T20:41:00.002-04:00

Matt lives on the estate of El Patron, a drug lord operating somewhere in what is now northern Mexico. He knows he is different somehow. He's not allowed to play with other children, there is a huge commotion every time he falls down or gets a little cold, his mother is not really his mother and he has no idea where his biological mother and father are. As he begins to grow up, he learns pieces of the truth. He was genetically engineered. His DNA is that of El Patron himself. And Matt is being raised for spare parts so that, as El Patron ages and his body parts fail, Matt can donate a kidney, part of a liver or, if need be, a heart. Can Matt escape the real dangers of El Patron. If he escapes the House of the Scorpion, can he also escape his identity as a clone? The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Garden.

A look at the Future Part 3

2008-03-12T20:02:00.003-04:00

These are pictures of the same girl, before and after cosmetic surgery. What a difference! In record numbers, we are changing the way we look. Why? We want to be prettier, whatever that means. In Pretties, by Paul Westerfield, teens of the future receive a very special (and free)16th birthday present. Every teen is given free surgery to make them pretty (or handsome for the boys). Imagine a world where everyone is pretty!

Tally Youngblood used to be ugly. Before she had her operation, she used to hang out with some friends who chose not to have the operation. Those who choose to keep their looks are hiding far away. Tally has forgotten all about her old friends as she goes from party to hairdresser to shopping to another party. But a mysterious message from her 15 year old self plunges Tally into the reality that being a "pretty" has a sinister and dark side.

A look at the Future Part 2

2008-03-12T19:38:00.005-04:00

Laptops are getting smaller, cell phones are getting thinner, IPods now play videos. Why? Because we want to carry our information, our communication, our music and videos with us. Smaller is better because it's less to carry around. So what if you could get a procedure, no more painful than ear piercing or a tattoo, which would allow you to carry all this around...in your head. A small chip in your brain allows you to think a song, for instance, and hear it instantly. Would you do it? If you say "no"...would you do it if all your friends and family were doing it? Titus is just an ordinary guy who went along with the crowd. The chip in his head is pretty convenient, although the commercials sometimes can be annoying. But mostly he enjoys it and it helps him fit in. But on a school trip, Titus encounters Violet. She thinks for herself, doesn't follow the fads and doesn't have "The Feed." And for the first time in a long time, Titus starts to think for himself. In the future world of The Feed by M.T. Anderson, thinking for yourself might be dangerous or even deadly.

A look at the Future Part 1

2008-03-12T19:18:00.004-04:00

Every time you make a phone call, text a friend, buy something on line or email personal information, you create an electronic file which may be saved somewhere. Recently, the governor of New York was forced to resign because his text messages about illegal activity were accessed, even though he deleted them. AT&T had a record of his messages! John Twelve Hawks, in his future fiction novel The Traveler, tells a story of the future where a single company, the Tabula, attempts to control all information about every citizen and thus control the population. In a world without privacy, a handful of visionaries (the Travelers) try to live "off the grid" and seek the truth hidden by the Tabula's lies, propaganda and mind control.

Do you love "LOST?"

2008-01-29T12:55:00.000-05:00

One of the aspects of "Lost" which makes it very intriguing to watch is the number of references to books both popular and obscure. Check out our library display and booklist or check the booklist below. btw this is only a partial list...check Wikipedia for a more complete one. And don't forget to drop by the library on C block and X@ block for an open, drop-in discussion of the most recent episode.
The Odyssey (Homer); Alice in Wonderland /Through the Looking Glass (Carroll); Wizard of Oz (Baum);Tale of Two Cities (Dickens); Stranger in a Strange Land (Heinlein);Mysterious Island (Verne); Carrie (King); Watership Down (Adams); Brothers Karamazov (Dostoevsky); Lord of the Flies (Golding); Turn of the Screw (James); Catch 22 (Heller)

In one moment, your whole life can change...

2007-10-09T09:07:00.000-04:00

On a beautiful June morning, Jane Arrowood is attacked by a shark in shallow water. She loses most of her right arm. She actually loses much more than an arm...Jane is an artist who can no longer draw and a pretty girl who is stared at like a freak. Told in poetry form (like Sonya Sones), Jane struggles to regain her health and find her way in a much-changed world. Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

Which would you choose: safety or freedom?

2007-10-09T08:52:00.000-04:00

In the future, our country is now called United Safer States of America. When you play "sports," you are encased in padding from head to toe and padded mats replace cinder track. Sportsmanship is key; calling an opponent a bad name could get you sent to prison. That's exactly where Bo ends up when he insults someone on the track team. Will he survive life in a penal colony in the wilderness of Canada, making frozen pizzas for the MacDonalds Corporation 18 hours a day? In the end, he will have to choose. Will it be freedom or safety? Rash by Pete Hautman is in the Fiction section.

Did you like "The Other Boleyn Girl?"

2007-08-30T13:26:00.001-04:00

"The Other Boleyn Girl" by Phillipa Gregory is coming to theaters soon as a film starring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johannsen. If you enjoyed the book and have read Gregory's other historical fiction outings, why not try out an older writer who influenced Phillipa Gregory? Anya Seton's books have been reissued with introductions by Ms. Gregory. Explore the early days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony with The Winthrop Woman. Discover where the Tudor dynasty began by meeting Katherine. Follow the last religious conflict in Jacobite England in Devil Water. Travel back in time to sail the seas with Viking and explore the origins of the King Arthur legend in Avalon.

New book mini-list

2007-01-29T12:55:00.000-05:00

Jared Diamond, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed “Using the Mayan empire, Easter Island, the Anasazi, and other examples, the author shows how a combination of environmental factors such as habitat destruction, the loss of biodiversity, and degradation of the soil caused complex, flourishing societies to suddenly disintegrate.”

Michel Laclotte, A Key to the Louvre: Memoirs of a Curator Post-DeGaulle France from the former curator.

Paul Robert Walker, Remember Little Big Horn: Indians, Soldiers, and Scouts Tell their Stories Drama of Native American History, with lots of primary source material

Jeff Sypeck, Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800 “Sypeck, who teaches medieval literature at the University of Maryland, paints a splendid portrait of the emperor's various supporters, including Isaac, his Jewish envoy to Baghdad; Harun al-Rashid, the legendary caliph of Baghdad who, though the two never met, believed that he and Charlemagne would be great military and political companions; and the elephant, Abul Abaz, a gift from Harun.”

Judith Bloom Fradin, 5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft’s Flight from Slavery “Ellen is a light-skinned African American, daughter of the master who raped her mother. Disguised as a wealthy Southern gentleman, she escapes with her husband, William, disguised as her slave, and they travel by train and steamboat to freedom in Boston. When their astonishing story makes the fugitive couple famous, slave catchers come after them, so the Crafts leave for England, where they continue their abolitionist work, until their return home after the Civil War.”

Robert E. Bonner, The Soldier’s Pen: Firsthand Impressions of the Civil War “Bonner uses the letters, journal entries, and sketches of 16 Civil War infantrymen, all previously unpublished, to convey the experiences of war as recounted by those who witnessed it at its most elemental level.”

Best Books of the Year!

2007-01-29T08:18:00.001-05:00

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is the Printz Award winner for best young adult novel of the year. This graphic novel tells 3 interrelated stories about feeling alone and isolated, hating being different, having a crush and more.

New Science books:a mini-list

2007-01-26T09:06:00.000-05:00

American Museum of Natural History, Ocean: the World’s Last Wilderness Revealed. “Crafted by devoted scientists and visual artists, Ocean offers page after page of stunning images and vital information about the very heartbeat of planet Earth.”

Dennis Fradin, With a Little Luck. “Whether Fradin is writing about the discovery of penicillin, Neptune, pulsars, or the Dead Sea Scrolls, he smoothly combines personal stories with fascinating science, technology, and history.”

Colin Tudge, The Tree. “British biologist and science-writer-extraordinaire Tudge offers a sumptuously specific tour of the phenomenal world of trees.”

Eugene Linden, The Winds of Change. “Restrained in tone, Linden's presentation of scientists' theories on historical climate change will provoke readers concerned about the implications of global warming for modern civilization.”

Richard Dawkins, The Ancestor’s Tale. A pilgrimage back through four billion years of life on earth. Evolution with a Chaucerian twist!

My Einstein Essays by 23 scientists/thinkers, including Jeremy Bernstein, Gino C. Sergré and Maria Spiropulu.Titles of their pieces range from "Einstein, Moe, and Joe" to "The Greatest Discovery Einstein Didn't Make".

Miyoko Chu, Songbird Journey. Chu, an ornithologist at Cornell, follows bird migration through all four seasons and scientists’ techniques for tracking them.

Tim Flannery, The Weather Makers. A history of climate change and how it will likely unfold this century.

Bruce Stutz, Chasing Spring. Stutz tracks spring in the Appalachians, Louisiana, the Arizona desert, the Rockies, and Alaska.

Erik Reece Lost Mountain Exposes the coal industry's destruction of the mountains of eastern Kentucky..

If you liked "The Diary of Anne Frank..."

2007-01-11T09:12:00.000-05:00

In a colonial world of the future, Toni V. is a teenager working on a demolition crew. His job is to remove rubble from a city recently devastated by a war. In the rubble, he finds a plastic package. Inside the package is Pelly D's diary. She is just a normal teen girl: a little selfish, a little foolish, a little thoughtful. She has crushes on boys, she worries about her skin, she tries to ignore the hate that is building, even in her high school. People are deciding that certain strains of DNA are superior to others. As the winds of an imminent war between groups of people based on the superiority of their DNA swirl around her, Pelly tries to make sense of what's happening. And Toni begins to realize that his government has been lying to him.

Pelly D. will remind you of another remarkable young teen named Anne Frank.

What was your favorite book this year?

2006-12-18T10:36:00.000-05:00

Best book I read this year? A tie between As Simple as Snow by Greg Galloway and Just in Case by Meg Rosoff.

In As Simple as Snow, an average kind of lonely boy falls in love with Anna, a new and mysterious girl in town. She dresses Goth and is fascinated with mysteries, codes, ciphers, and ghost stories. She decides to kill off everyone in town (in her mind only) and writes crazy imaginary obituaries for everyone. When she writes her own,the final one, she disappears. Did she commit suicide (a simple answer)? Was she murdered (a simple answer)? Is her ghost haunting the boy (a simple answer)? No, there are no simple answers to this mystery. Bacause, you see, snow is not simple! This is a book you will have to hand to a friend to read because, when you finish reading, you will want to talk about it. All of the librarians have read this book (which is unusual) because we all needed to talk about it! This is an adult book with some mature subjects and not a light and fluffy read. But if you like to be challenged and don't like things tied up in a pretty bow at the end of a book, you will enjoy As Simple as Snow.

Just in Case by Meg Rosoff asks whether there is such a thing as fate and, if so, can one escape or change ones fate. David Case looked away for a minute and his baby brother climbed up on a windowsill. He is prevented from falling but David is so shaken by this close call that he sets out to hide from his own fate. He changes his name (Just in Case), he changes his friends (just in case), he conjures up an imaginary dog (just in case), and hangs out with an older girl who has a taste for adventure (just in case)> But no matter how hard he tries, David/Justin cant really escape fate...or can he?

Humanity's fate is in the balance

2006-10-14T21:40:00.000-04:00

The forces of good and evil battle in a destroyed United States in Terry Brooks' Armageddon's Children.War, plagues, ecological disasters and a shift of balance in the spirit world have devastated the country. Two young people, Logan Tom and Angel Perez, stand for good as Knights of the Word. With the help of a band of street urchins, will they be able to defeat the Void before it swallows up the last outposts of humanity? First of a new trilogy.

The Book of Fate...a Washington thriller

2006-10-14T21:20:00.000-04:00

Wes Holloway, a presidential aide shot in an assassination attempt eight years ago, has never truly recovered. His face has healed but his spirit has not. His scars are a daily reminder of those moments of horror and he feels guilty that Boyle,a man he invited along for the presidential appearance was killed that day. Wes still works for the former President and is with him in Malaysia when he sees a familiar face. It is Boyle...a man supposedly dead for 8 years. Wes has stumbled on a plot hundreds of years in the making and one that threatens to destroy the country. The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer

Nursery Rhyme Crime

2006-09-25T08:19:00.000-04:00

Jack Spratt is back with his stalwart assistant Mary Mary. Goldilocks is found dead in a World War I amusement park and the investigation focuses first on the three bears (Mama, Papa and Baby). But the Gingerbread Man, newly escaped from a prison for the criminally insane, is on a rampage and may be connected to the crime. Or is it connected somehow to the recent crisis of exploding cucumbers? Read The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde to find out!

Read about the first book in the series, The Big Over Easy, here!

Meet Alex Rider

2006-09-25T08:13:00.000-04:00

Alex Rider's only living relative, his Uncle Ian, died in a car crash. The police said it was an accident but what kind of accident leaves a windshield riddled with bullet holes?

Alex uses his skills at sneaking around to try to uncover the real story of his uncle's death. But when he discovers that his uncle was a spy for the British M16 (similar to our CIA), his quest for the truth gets him into big trouble. The spymaster running the agency gives Alex a life or death choice—finish his uncle’s last mission—or else. Check out "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz

Booktalk books--Mr. Gregory

2006-09-21T10:20:00.001-04:00

Can You Keep a Secret? by Kinsella (Fiction)
Cell by King (Fiction)
Found II by Rothbart (PB)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Foer (fiction)
In the Heart of the Sea by Philbrick (910.91)
Chasing Vermeer by Biallett (Fiction)

Booktalk books--Mr. Gregory

2006-09-21T10:20:00.000-04:00

Can You Keep a Secret? by Kinsella (Fiction)
Cell by King (Fiction)
Found II by Rothbart (PB)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Foer (fiction)
In the Heart of the Sea by Philbrick (910.91)

A strange summer job!

2006-09-15T08:29:00.000-04:00

Finding a summer job is definitely a challenge for most teens. Ilana, who has her own distinctive way of dressing and a feisty attitude to match, has had no luck at all finding a "white bread" mall job. So she jumps at the chance to work for the Divine Relief Temp Agency. Imagine her surprise when she discovers that "divine" describes the clients very well...this temp agency specializes in giving overworked gods and goddesses a break. Will Ilana be able to temporarily substitute for her clients or will her mistakes cause genuine chaos in the world? "Temping Fate" by Esther Freisner

Harry, Carrie and Garp...oh my!

2006-08-07T09:15:00.000-04:00

File under "what librarians do on summer vacation..."

Last Tuesday I was in Radio City Music Hall to hear Stephen King, John Irving and J.K. Rowling read from their books. The night was introduced by Whoopie Goldberg and each author was also introduced by a celebrity and a video clip a la Oscars. Kathy Bates introduced Stephen King, who read his famous pie eating story from "The Body." His State of Mainer accent was perfect for this piece and the crowd really enjoyed the story.

Andre Braugher introduced John Irving (the least well known of the authors...I heard someone behind me asking his friends who Irving was). He read a Christmas pageant section from "A Prayer for Owen Meany". He is a great reader and the little cracked voice he used for Owen will stick in my head forever.

Finally, Jon Stewart introduced the star of the night...Ms. Rowling. She sat on a red velvet throne, showed us her marvelous shoes (sandles with silvery snakes as straps) and read a section from the Half Blood Prince where Dumbeldore is recruiting Tom Riddle for Hogwart's. Questions and answers followed but Ms. Rowling kept mum on any details of the final book.

All in all, a "magical" night. Ask Ms. Richardson or Ms. Johns for more details!

P.S. I saw J.K. Rowling at the Museum of Modern Art the following afternoon. She was with some children (possibly hers) and was wandering through the museum like any other tourist. You never know who you might spot in New York City!!

Help a library in need

2006-07-10T14:55:00.000-04:00

Gulfport Library, located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina. The first floor of the library was washed through by flood waters. The library lost its entire children’s, adult fiction, and audio-visual collections. Now you can help by donating a book or dvd to this library using amazon.com. Just click on this link to see the wish list for this library.

We take our wonderful libraries for granted until a disaster reminds us of just how lucky we are. If you have the resources, why not help rebuild this Mississipp library?

Readers Never Go on Vacation

2006-06-13T22:52:00.000-04:00

I will continue to add books to Looking for a Good Book during the summer. I have a big juicy stack on my coffee table just waiting for vacation. So check back when you can and when you are looking for something good to read.

I read in a magazine the other day that reading something for fun actually reduces hormones related to stress. So...if you're college searching or engaged in something else stressful during the summer, drop your stress levels by reading for pleasure: a magazine, a graphic novel (check out V for Vendetta), a book, a joke, a puzzle. Have a great summer!

Why are the pictures now question marks?

2006-06-13T22:47:00.000-04:00

Sory to visitors of this blog from Newton Public School computers. We've run afoul of a software glitch with our server. You can view the blog in all its glory from home or public library computers. The good news is that the text has not been affected (yet!)so you can still read the log...just can't see the covers. We hope to get this resolved before school ends!

And one from Mrs. Johns!!

2006-05-24T13:50:00.000-04:00

Compiled by Dave Eggers and teen students from his San Francisco writing center, this collection of stories, reporting and alternative comics is a perfect beach/pool/camp/ travel book. My favorites include Al Franken's "Tearaway Burkas and Tinplate Menorahs,"(Franken goes to Iraq) and William T. Vollmann's "They Came Out like Ants!" (Vollmann searches for Chinese tunnels in Mexico.) Pick out your favorite!

Here's one more recommendation....

2006-05-24T13:47:00.000-04:00

You probably don't know the critic but I can tell you she has exquisite taste in summer reading!

Joan Acocella, critic, The New Yorker
I actually recommend The Da Vinci Code. I stayed up till 3 in the morning to make sure that the demented, knife-wielding albino monk lurking in the bushes outside the chateau didn't kill Sophie. Or, if the beach is a nice one, take Ian McEwan's Amsterdam or Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The latter is supposedly for "young adults," but it's hair-raising and also quite serious. You get to visit hell.

Summer reading, anyone??

2006-05-17T11:55:00.000-04:00

Newton North doesn't have a required summer reading list. But some folks (like me!) collect titles for their summer reading. Here are recommendations from two authors popular at Newton North (From SLATE website: http://www.slate.com/id/2142161/nav/tap1/ Check it out for a full article!)

Jodi Picoult, author, The Tenth Circle
Dirty Blonde, by Lisa Scottoline—I like to take her books on vacation with me. She's a really great writer for that genre, with terrific female characters—the only caveat is that I get so involved in the plot that I forget I'm supposed to be watching my kids Boogie-board in the ocean. Shopaholic & Sister, by Sophie Kinsella—Confession time: I picked this up when I was in the U.K. and jet-lagged, and found myself absolutely charmed. When you don't want to have to think, this is perfect ... and Becky Bloomwood, the main character, makes anyone feel better about their own shopping addictions!

Michael Chabon, author, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
I don't change what I read when I go to the beach or on a vacation. I just read more.

A Pulitzer Prize winner

2006-04-28T09:49:00.000-04:00

A Contest for Readers

2006-03-21T22:28:00.000-05:00

Who do you think is the best living British writer? J.K. Rowling? Phillip Pullman? Helen Fielding? My favorite (no pressure here!) is Tom Stoppard, creator of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Shakespeare in Love, and the wonderful Arcadia. Go to http://www.thebookmagazine.co.uk/author.asp to vote for your fave!

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar

2006-03-08T12:19:00.000-05:00

9th Grade and starting high school is no problem for Scott. He has a group of friends he's been tight with since elementary school. His mom and dad are normal, supportive, loving parents. Everything's good...until his big brother moves back home, his mother announces she is having a baby, his friends are all taking automotive courses and Scott is stuck with Honors English and a teacher who introduces him to Tom Swifties (click audio file for an explanation of Tom Swifties) AND he falls hopelessly in love with Julia, who doesn't even know he is alive. Will Scott survive these freshman challenges?

Things that go bump in the night

2006-02-06T13:19:00.000-05:00

Here's a third mini-list of books whose roots are in the scary tradition of Frankenstein and Dracula:

2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke - computer gone beserk
Shadowmancer by G.P. Taylor-in pursuit of evil
Sweetblood by Pete Hautman -vampires
Magic Time by Marc Scott Zicree -evil fairies
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King -more vampires (in New England)
The Historian by Eliabeth Kostova -even more vampires (all over the world)

In search of...

2006-02-06T13:14:00.000-05:00

The quest has been a theme in books since ancient times (remember the Odyssey?) Here is a mini-list of questing titles as diverse as they are wonderful:

Extremely Loud and Incredible Close by Jonathan Safron Foer
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Lord Foul’s Bane by Stephen Donaldson
Ararat by Clive Barker
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
The Ropemaker by Peter Dickinson
Summerland by Michael Chabon
The Talisman by Stephen King/Peter Straub
The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks
Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Mini-list of folklore titles

2006-02-06T13:01:00.000-05:00

Do you remember stories your elementary teachers read you about magical spiders, big monsters, and fairies? There are grown up versions of these stories. For example, Neil Gaiman's new book is called "Anansi Boys." It tells the story of Fat Charlie Nancy who jets off to Florida for the funeral of his estranged father, only to discover that his deceased father was the West African trickster god, Anansi and that Charlie has a "prankster" half brother he has never met. Check out the rest of the mini-list:

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Grendel by John Gardner
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
Druids by Morgan Llywelyn
Bard by Morgan Llywelyn
Faerie Tale by Raymond Feist
Grendel’s Children by Larry Niven

Checkmate

2006-01-17T22:39:00.000-05:00

An ornate, jeweled chess set given to Charlemagne by the Moors, holds a code which would yield incredible power. Many have schemed to own it. The set is broken up during the French Revolution and a young novice risks her life to guard it. Alternating with her story are the present-day efforts of Catherine, a disgraced accountant, and a Russian chess master to gather the set and solve its mystery. "The Eight" is by Katherine Neville/

Meet Jack Ryan

2006-01-17T22:36:00.000-05:00

Tom Clancy's greatest creation is the character of Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst who is thrust into harrowing situations and uses his common sense and personal bravery to survive. In "Debt of Honor", malcontents in Japan plot to destroy the economy of the United States. The fiery conclusion is frighteninly close to our September 11th experience and the book was written several years before those horrible events.

"Prey" by Michael Crichton

2006-01-17T22:29:00.000-05:00

A swarm of lethal microscopic robots escape into the Nevada desert and attack everything in its path. It's up to Jack Foreman, who unwitingly programmed the robots, to deprogram them before they destroy the world.

Jack the Ripper meets Ebenezer Scrooge

2006-01-17T22:20:00.000-05:00

Winifred Rudge, is in London to research a novel linking Jack the Ripper to the house in Hampstead where her own great-great-grandfather rumored to be the model for Ebenezer Scrooge lived. But Winnie's cousin, John Comestor, the latest resident of the family house has gone missing and something is making an infernal racket inside the chimney. As wormen are scared away from opening the chimney, Winnie tries to figure out the secret that ties her family history together in Lost by Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked.

The fall of Troy, a giant tsunami and more!

2006-01-17T21:56:00.000-05:00

"Trojan Odyssey" by Clive Cussler is an old-fashioned adventure story featuring Dirk Pitt, naval explorer and scientist. A giant tsunami is racing toward a luxury resort and Dirk races to save his own children and the rest of the tourists. The tsunami is also dredging up amazing artifacts which may point to some unknown history around the ancient city of Troy.

A tragic story told by an angel

2006-01-17T21:38:00.000-05:00

“My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973 … It was still back when people believed things like that didn’t happen…My murderer was a man from our neighborhood. My mother liked his border flowers, and my father once talked to him about fertilizer.” Susie tells her sad story, observes her sorrowing family and explores heaven in The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

How much can you love a sister?

2006-01-17T21:29:00.000-05:00

13-year-old Anna Fitzgerald is going to sue her own parents. Why? To stop them from using her as "spare parts" for her older sister, Kate, who suffers from leukemia. After years of having her bone marrow and blood used to keep Kate alive, Kate's illness requires a kidney transplant and Anna has had enough. She loves her sister but she has her own life to live. Are her parents asking too much? The courts will decide. My Sister's Keeper is by Jodi Picoult.

"Where the Heart Is" by Billie Letts

2006-01-17T21:17:00.000-05:00

Novalee's sevens are definitely not lucky. She's 17, seven months pregnant, 37 pounds overweight -- and now she finds herself stranded at a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma, holding just $7.77 in change. Her no-good boyfriend Willy Jack Pickens has left her with empty pockets in a strange town. But Novalee is about to discover some luck in Sequoyah Oklahoma.

Tattoo stories

2006-01-17T21:08:00.000-05:00

Ray Bradbury wrote "The Illustrated Man" 50 years ago, long before tattos became so common and popular (a la Miami Ink). In his book, a man's body is covered with 18 elaborate tatoos. Each tattoo tells a strange or fanciful story.

Lost in the Woods!

2006-01-17T20:18:00.000-05:00

Trisha steps off the hiking trail for a minute and when she returns, her brother and mother are gone. She attempts a shortcut to catch up and becomes lost in the Maine woods. With her trusty radio turned to the Red Sox game, she uses the great relief pitcher Tom Gordon as inspiration as she faces the dangers of the forest...insect bites, cold, rain, and wild animals. In the bottom of the ninth, with the bases loaded against her, can Trisha summon the courage of Tom Gordon to fight her way out of danger? "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" is by Stephen King.

Author of "Stormbreaker" starts a new series

2005-12-05T19:57:00.000-05:00

Matt is a good kid who keeps getting in trouble. He lives with an aunt who doesn't pay him any attention so he hangs out with another neglected kid and spends a lot of time shoplifting and stealing. One night, while raiding a video game warehouse, a guard is badly hurt by Matt's partner and he faces the real possibility of going to detention center at age 14. His other option is to agree to be part of a new program (LEAF) which sends kids to the country for hard work and fresh air under the careful supervision of a sponsor. Matt agrees, only to discover that his sponsor is a witch and he is in desperate danger. Will Matt be able to harness his own special powers to combat the growing evil in the village? Anthony Hurwitz begins his new series with Raven's Gate.

Westminster Abby

2005-12-05T19:45:00.000-05:00

Abby's parents keep a close and watchful eye on her: no going out on school nights, Friday night is "family night," and only sleepovers with her best friend Dori. But that's all going to change. Abby is on her way to England for a 10 week exchange program. Will she be able to handle all that freedom? And will she ever be able to decipher such british terms as boot, lorry, jumper and trainer? Part of a new series, which includes trips to France, Italy, and Spain.

Imagine...

2005-10-28T10:26:00.000-04:00

Imagine that, in the middle of the night, word comes that the enemy army is a few miles down the road and you must flee in the night, after burning your crops and slaughtering your animals so the army will not benefit from destroying your home. Imagine that you are an army doctor who spends most of your time amputating the shattered limbs of the young soldiers. Imagine that you are a soldier without a real allegiance to either side of the war but with a huge drive to stay alive. Imagine that you are a freed slave with the snow white skin of your father. Imagine that, because of this civil war, you are now homeless and the only place you seem to belong is tagging along behind the marauding union army under the leadership of General Sherman. Imagine one of the darkest chapters of the American Civil War as seen through the eyes of characters trying to survive "the March" by E.L. Doctorow.

And you thought your high school was strange!

2005-10-18T09:45:00.000-04:00

Cody Elliot managed to fail every course at his new high school...even study hall! His father is furious and decides to transfer Cory to one of two schools. His choices are (1) Our Lady of Perpetual Homework or (2) the ultra fancy looking Vlad Dracul High School. Now, granted, Vlad Dracul's mascot is a live wolf and all the students are pale and wear black. But if you were making the choice, you'd pick it too...who wants perpetual homework? See what happens when an ordinary boy enrolls at "Vampire High" (by Douglas Rees).

Have you ever made a big mistake?

2005-10-18T09:33:00.000-04:00

Samantha Sweeting, type A personality and a lawyer on a fast track to being a partner, makes a gigantic, career-wrecking mistake. She is so horrified that she wanders around London for hours and then randomly hops on a bus "out of town." She ends up way out in the country and stops at a rather grand estate to ask for a phone. The next thing she knows, Samantha has a new job...as a housekeeper. Will this overstressed lawyer find happiness in the country? Will she ever learn how to cook or clean or make a bed? Because, you see, Samantha is truly "The Undomestic Goddess" (by Sophie Kinsella, author of "Shopaholic" series).

Spy series

2005-09-26T09:03:00.000-04:00

Egg-citing New Mystery

2005-09-12T10:34:00.000-04:00

CSI meets Mother Goose in this new series by the Jasper Fforde, author of the Tuesday Next books. As the autopsy diagram indicates, Humpty Dumpty has met an unfortunate end. It was staged as an accident but the albumen spatter clearly indicates murder. Can lead detective Jack Spratt solve the murder before more nursery rhyme citizens lose their lives? Read "The Big Over Easy" to find out!

The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks

2005-09-12T09:37:00.000-04:00

Every time you make a call on your cell phone or use your ATM card or register for something on a computer, you are leaving an electronic footprint. People knowledgable of computer programming can gather information on you and there is the potential to use that information against you. John Twelve Hawks calls this process of leaving an electronic record "living on the grid"

In the very near future, society is monitored and controlled by a secret society called the Tabula. The only people the Tabula cannot control are Travelers, who have the ability to move into other realms and see clearly the manipulation of free will by the Tabula. Travelers are very carefull not to live on the grid. Tabula's mission is to locate and destroy all the Travelers, ensuring their ability to continue controlling society. Between them and success stand the Harlequins, trained from birth to protect the travelers. And Maya, who never wanted to be a Harlequin, finds herself in a life and death struggle to save one of the last Travelers from extinction.

1776 by David McCullough

2005-09-12T08:50:00.000-04:00

Did you know we came very close to losing the American Revolution? Several times, the army, under George Washington, had to flee from a battlefield under cover of darkness. Supplies were few and the "rebels" were fighting a powerful and well provisioned army. Thanks to some good luck and inspiring leadership by a relatively inexperienced general named Washington, 1776 became a year of beginnings rather than endings.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

2005-09-12T08:22:00.000-04:00

Oskar Schell is a 9 year old genius who enjoys solving complex problems and writing letters to famous scientists. When his father dies in the World Trade Center tragedy, Oscar sets out on a quest to understand why this happened to him. His only clue? a key with the word "Black" written on it in his father's handwriting.

State of Fear by Michael Crichton

2005-09-10T13:59:00.000-04:00

From the glaciers of Iceland to the volcanoes of Antarctica, federal agent John Kenner faces dangerous eco-terrorists intent on creating ecological disasters to buttress their theories on global warming.

Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

2005-09-10T13:49:00.000-04:00

Jeremy Grove, a notorious and hated art critic, has been found dead. Murdered. Burned from the inside out, with a hoof print charred into the floor and a melted crucifix in the victim's hand. The work of the devil? Or a very clever murderer?

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

2005-09-10T13:42:00.000-04:00

Fifteen year old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit an aunt and cousins she has never met. Two days later, bombs go off in London and the city is attacked and occupied by an unnamed army. Can Daisy and her cousins survive without an adult at home?

Hoot by Carl Hiassen

2005-09-10T13:34:00.000-04:00

Building a new pancake house will destroy the nesting ground of miniature owls in Florida. Can 3 teen misfits defeat a corporate giant? Will snakes in the porta-potty slow down the construction?

After by Francine Prose

2005-09-09T14:04:00.000-04:00

In the aftermath of a nearby school shooting, a counselor takes over Central High School and enacts increasingly harsh measures to control students and their parents. Everyone agrees that this is a good thing because it will protect students and keep them safe. But students begin to notice that those who do not obey the new rules... disappear.

one of those hideous books where the mother dies

2005-07-19T10:38:00.000-04:00

"My name is Ruby.
This book is about me.

It tells the deeply hideous story
of what happens when my mother dies
and I'm dragged three thousand miles away
from my gorgeous boyfriend, Ray,
to live in LA with my father,
who I've never even met
because he's such a scumbag that he
divorced my mom before I was born.

The only way I've ever even seen him
is in the movies,
since he's this mega-famous actor
who's been way too busy
trying to win Oscars
to even visit me once in fifteen years"

Will Ruby ever forgive her famous father? And will she survive losing her mother?
one of the hideous books where the mother dies is told totally in verse by Sonya Somes.

The Exploding Toilet

2005-07-19T09:44:00.000-04:00

We've all heard modern urban legends. Take, for example, the oft-repeated story of knowing a friend whose cousin's mother-in-law ordered Kentucky Fried Chicken and found a deep fried rat in her bucket of chicken. It didn't happen but the story spreads anyway. The Exploding Toilet is a collection of similar urban legends: "Two animal rights protesters were protesting the cruelty of sending pigs to the slaughterhouse in Bonn {Germany}. Suddenly the pigs, all two thousand of them, escaped through a broken fence and stampeded, trampling the two protestors to death." As for the exploding toilet? You'll have to read that for yourself!

Urban legends circulate even faster these days because of the Internet. A wonderful website debunks or verifies all the stories circulating through e-mail and Internet postings. So the next time you hear a story too good or weird to be true, check out http://www.snopes.com

DaVinci Code meets Dracula

2005-07-18T09:52:00.000-04:00

Was Dracula (aka Vlad the Impaler) truly a vampire? Did he die back in the 1300's or does he still walk the earth? Did he possess nobility or was he a monster? These are some of the questions confronted in The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I'll let our narator introduce you to the book:

This is the story of how as a girl of sixteen I went in search of my father and his past, and of how he went in search of his beloved mentor and his mentor's own history, and of how we all found ourselves on one of the darkest pathways into history. It is the story of who survived that search and who did not, and why.

This long and complicated story moves between the medieval Ottoman Empire, pre-World War II Europe, and the Cold War as three generations of historians use their gifts to seek the truth about Dracula. Along the way, they encounter homicidal librarians (hmm), the undead, professors, gypsies, monks, and other keepers of the secrets.