Staff Recommendations

March 2008

Children's Books | Adult Books | Teen Books
Audiobooks | Movies | Music

Below you'll find materials recommended by library staff.

Children's Books

The Junk Man's Daughter, by Sonia Levitin (E Levitin) When young Hanna immigrates to America with her family, she faces a great struggle. She had been told that the "streets were paved with gold" by her energetic father, but is greatly disappointed when the family is frequently cold and hungry. One day they discover something glittering in the snowy slush, and though it isn't "gold," collecting junk becomes the means to a profitable family business. --Shannon, Head of Youth Services
Beyond the Deep Woods: The Edge Chronicles, by Paul Stewart (J Stewart) Middle grade fantasy fans will get a treat with a new series added to our collection. The Edge Chronicles mark the journey of young Twig, a mixed up and misplaced human boy who is being raised in the Deepwoods by wood trolls. In the first installment Twig does something unheard of, he strays from his path. Join him as he experiences a variety of challenges including a foul-mouthed halitoad, red face slaughterers and piranha tribble wig-wigs. Our Library now carries the full series, and each installment ranges between 300-400 pages. Recommended for grades four and above. --Shannon, Head of Youth Services
The Obesity Epidemic, by Michaela Miller (J/613.398/MIil) Obesity isn't just a personal problem anymore - it's transitioned into an epidemic across the United States. This book explores the historical roots of the epidemic, how it is spreading to other nations, the health implications, and strategies to combat the crisis. This is a handy book for parents to use to discuss health and nutrition with older juvenile readers. --Shannon, Head of Youth Services

Adult Books

Shakespeare: The World as Stage, by Bill Bryson (822.33 Bry) Bill Bryson has turned from humorous autobiography to nearly straight biography with his latest book. He is not seeking laughs with this title, but his wit is still evident in some of his remarks about Elizabethan and Jacobean culture and the stupidity of poor scholars trying to prove that someone other than Shakespeare wrote his plays. In this short book, Bryson gets to the heart of the playwright's story and still entertains. I was most fascinated by the discussion of Shakespeare's impact on the English language, which was evolving away from Middle English during his day. The playwright is credited with the first recorded use of 2035 words, of which over 800 are in common use. Frugal, dwindle, horrid, barefaced, and zany are words he coined, as are many un- words, like unhand, unmask, and untie. Despite Bryson pointing out frequently that we really know very little about the Bard, I feel I know him better. This is a great read for people who enjoy the plays. --Rick, Adult Services Librarian
Doctor's Daughter, by Hilma Wolitzer (FIC Wolitzer) Alice Brill is at a crossroads in her life. Her father has dementia, her marriage is falling apart, her children have left home and have problems of their own, and she has been downsized from her job as a book editor. All through this she has had a feeling of dread that she cannot explain. As she tries to get on with her life, she finds herself re-examining her childhood and her parent's marriage. This novel written by the award winning and critically acclaimed Hilma Wolitzer was so compelling I had a hard time putting it down. --Julie L., Head, Magazine Desk
Maisie Dobbs, by Jacqueline Winspear (M Winspear) Maisie Dobbs is no stranger to hardship. Her mother dies when she is 13, and to help support her father, she takes a job as a maid. When Lady Rowan discovers that her young servant is hungry for knowledge (Maisie is caught reading philosophy in the estate's library), she takes the girl under her wing and provides her with a tutor. A few short years later, Maisie's promising academic career is brought to a halt with the onslaught of WW I, and she enlists as an army nurse. When the war is over, Maisie sets up shop as a private investigator and is soon embroiled in the goings-on of a cultish farm that welcomes disfigured soldiers--at a price. A wonderful blend of history and mystery; recommended for fans of Laurie R. King's Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series. --Jamie, Reference Librarian
Mary Modern: A Novel, by Camille DeAngelis (FIC DeAngelis) Lucy Morrigan, a genetic researcher, wants a baby but is unable to become pregnant. So using her scientific skills she decides to clone DNA from her deceased grandmother, Mary. However, instead of a baby, her grandmother comes back to life as a twenty-two year old with her memories intact. Lucy now has to deal with what she has done. This is the author's first novel. --Julie L., Head, Magazine Desk
Brother, I'm Dying, by Edwidge Danticat (B Danticat) Stories from Haiti seem to always involve tragedy, and Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat is no exception. The final quarter of the book will break your heart. In the book Danticat is never sentimental but there is much charm in her storytelling. Readers come to admire both her father who immigrated to New York when she was small and her uncle who raised her in Port-au-Prince until she was twelve, at which time she joined her parents in New York. When she arrived, the American city seemed just as dangerous as the capital of Haiti, as her cab-driving father was attacked and threatened on several occasions. His calm, peaceful nature always saved him. This is a very moving book. --Rick, Adult Services Librarian
Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals, by Jonathan Kingdon (599 Kin) Recently, ecotourism in Africa has been hurt by fear of terrorism and political unrest. While current events in Kenya are troubling, there are still safe countries to visit, including Tanzania and Botswana. These countries need tourist dollars to continue to protect their wildlife. Going on camera safari is still a wonderful thing to do. If you go, you will need a field guide to mammals. The Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals by Jonathan Kingdon is an excellent choice. The pocket guide is a handy item to have while sitting in a Land Cruiser near an African water hole where the animals congregate. It shows more of the small mammals than other guides that I have seen. Kingdon's illustrations will help you distinguish between a gerenuk and a springbuck, between a wild boar and a bush pig, and between bush hyrax and tree hyrax. Kingdon includes continental distribution maps, tells you animal habitats, and describes behaviors. --Rick, Adult Services Librarian
Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques, by Jacques Pepin (641.5 Pep) The Library ordered a lot of cookbooks in late 2007 and early 2008. One of the most unusual is this book by Jacques Pepin, in which he shows through photographs exactly how to prepare the recipes included. Don't understand the thickness of a slice? Pepin shows you. Don't understand where to knot a string? He shows you. A very useful book for beginning cooks and experts alike. --Rick, Adult Services Librarian

Books for Teens

Jumper, by Steven Gould (YA PB Gould) 17-year-old David has a special talent: he can teleport, or "jump," from place to place. After he runs away from his abusive step-father, David survives on the streets until he learns how to control his powers - then he decides to rob banks! Along the way, he meets a girl, searches for his estranged mother, and contemplates his own morality. Eventually, the authorities learn about David and want to capture him to study his powers. Now a major motion picture. --Jamie, Reference Librarian
The Redheaded Princess, by Ann Rinaldi (YA Rinaldi) Elizabeth Tudor was the daughter of Anne Boleyn, who was executed, and King Henry VIII. Though Elizabeth rose to power in 1558, not much is known about her younger years. In this novel, historical fiction master Ann Rinaldi describes what it's like to be a teenage princess in exile: sometimes her father the King includes her at court; other times he banishes her to a country estate. Though Elizabeth has royal blood, she fears many who might do her harm--from her half-sister Mary to her half-brother Edward, to a kingdom that may not be ready for a woman to rule. She overcomes these obstacles with tenacity, her wits, and grace. Great fun for history buffs! --Jamie, Reference Librarian
Darkside (Book 1), by Tom Becker (YA Becker) Jonathan has no mother and he and his father barely speak. Jonathan's father is a very secretive man and spends most of his time behind the closed door of his study. After his dad ends up in an asylum, Jonathan is on his own and doesn't know what to do when his home is attacked. Forced into hiding, Jonathan finds himself in a horrible, hidden part of London known as Darkside. Darkside is inhabited by the descendants of none other than Jack the Ripper, and now Jonathan must find a way out! The first book in an exciting new series! --Jamie, Reference Librarian
Ball Don't Lie, by Matt de la Pena (YA Pena) This gritty novel is about 17-year-old Sticky, a boy who has spent his life in neglect, abuse, and foster homes. The only thing holding Sticky together is basketball--and he's good at it. Sticky spends his time playing ball in a Los Angeles rec center with mostly black men who become his surrogate family. Along the way, Sticky must deal with traumatic childhood memories, hang onto his girlfriend, and figure out how to win a basketball scholarship. Starred review from School Library Journal --Jamie, Reference Librarian

Audiobooks

For the Relief of Unbearable Urges, by Nathan Englander (BOCD Englander) Nathan Englander's collection of short stories For the Relief of Unbearable Urges was published in 1999, but it was released as an audiobook in 2007. I do not know why it took so long, but it was worth the wait. As read by Susan Denaker, Paul Michael, and Arthur Morey, the nine stories about Jewish experience are riveting. What sets these stories apart from lesser stories is Englander's elegant descriptions of desperate situations. At times, the stories are somewhat humorous but there is always a soul or many souls at stake. In most of the stories the need to follow Jewish law is also a complicating factor in the plot. This New York Times Notable Book is a good item to recommend to readers who like literary fiction. --Rick, Adult Services Librarian

Movies

The Forsythe Saga, based on the novels by John Galsworthy (DVD F) PBS's Masterpiece Theatre sprung from the showing of this great old television series from the BBC. In twenty-six episodes, the producers tell the story of a nouveau riche family trying to establish its reputation in late Victorian and early Edwardian England. Great for a long weekend of escape from the modern world. --Rick, Adult Services Librarian

Music

When The Cactus Is In Bloom, by Bob Bovee and Gail Heil (CD 781.62 Bov) Bob Bovee and Gail Heil sing old time cowboy and western songs with a down to earth simplicity that really catches your attention. Many of the songs on this CD are standards, but they sound fresh with Bob and Gail singing them. Check out the CD and then come hear them at our April Friday at the Ford concert. --Rick, Adult Services Librarian

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