ADULT FICTION
"A Short History of Women" by Kate Walbert - Walbertoffers a beautiful and kaleidoscopic view of the 20th century through the eyes of several generations of women in the Townsend family. The story begins with Dorothy Townsend, a turn-of-the-century British suffragist who dies in a hunger strike. From Dorothy's death, Walbert travels back and forth across time and continents to chronicle other acts of self-assertion by Dorothy's female descendants. Dorothy's daughter, Evelyn, travels to America after WWI to make her name in the world of science—and escape from her mother's infamy. Decades later, her niece, also named Dorothy, has a late-life crisis and gets arrested in 2003 for taking photos of an off-limits military base in Delaware. Dorothy's daughters, meanwhile, struggle to find meaning in their modern bourgeois urban existences. The novel takes in historical events from the social upheaval of pre-WWI Britain to VJ day in New York City, a feminist conscious-raising in the '70s and the Internet age. The lives of these women reveal that although oppression of women has grown more subtle, Dorothy's self-sacrifice reverberates through generations. Walbert's look at the 20th century and the Townsend family is perfectly calibrated, intricately structured and gripping from page one. -- Publisher's Weekly (June)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
"The Pig Did It" by Joseph Campbell - Unhappy in love, New York creative writing instructor Aaron McCloud, 32, arrives in Western Ireland's County Kerry to suffer amid its natural beauty in this very funny sixth novel from Caldwell (The Uncle from Rome). Aaron stays with his aunt Kitty, who makes a living rewriting the classics (her version of Oliver Twist features lots of repentance), but Aaron's wallow in self-pity is interrupted by a lost pig that attaches itself to him. When the pig digs up a human skeleton buried in the backyard, Kitty identifies the remains as the missing Declan Tovey and blames the pig's mischievous owner, Lolly McKeever. But Lolly won't admit to owning the pig, let alone killing Declan, and Aaron, for his part, is attracted to Lolly and suspicious of his aunt, who had her own reasons for wanting Declan dead. The stage is set for an Irish country comedy of manners in which darts, pints, pigs and burial plots all play a part. Caldwell's shaggy pig story, the first of a projected trilogy, puts farcical doings into lilting language and provides a payoff that is as unexpected as it is satisfying. -- Publisher's Weekly (Jan.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
New Books at the Library
ADULT FICTION
"The Alexander Cipher" by Will Adams - "A razor-edged thriller that delves into crumbling tombs and ancient secrets. Explosively paced and tautly told, the book demands to be read in one sitting." -- James Rollins, New York Times Bestselling Author
JUVENILE FICTION
"Mogo, The Third Warthog" by Donna Jo Napoli - As in Napoli’s Ugly (2006), the protagonist here is a young animal learning to survive on its own. The last of three male warthogs born in his litter, Mogo always walks behind his mother and his just-slightly-older brothers in the last position, the most vulnerable to the many predators on the savanna. In a convincing first-person narrative, Mogo tells how he survives after his mother forces the three brothers out on their own. Instincts, learned lessons, and reasoning are on his side, but luck and an unlikely friendship with a lone baboon also come into play. Though the final art for Judge’s illustrations was not seen, the sketches look very promising. Readers with no particular interest in African animals may find themselves unexpectedly caught up in this well-told, life-or-death adventure tale, while children who love animals, even those as apparently unlovable as the warthog, will be in their element here. Grades 3-5. --Carolyn Phelan, Booklist
"The Alexander Cipher" by Will Adams - "A razor-edged thriller that delves into crumbling tombs and ancient secrets. Explosively paced and tautly told, the book demands to be read in one sitting." -- James Rollins, New York Times Bestselling Author
JUVENILE FICTION
"Mogo, The Third Warthog" by Donna Jo Napoli - As in Napoli’s Ugly (2006), the protagonist here is a young animal learning to survive on its own. The last of three male warthogs born in his litter, Mogo always walks behind his mother and his just-slightly-older brothers in the last position, the most vulnerable to the many predators on the savanna. In a convincing first-person narrative, Mogo tells how he survives after his mother forces the three brothers out on their own. Instincts, learned lessons, and reasoning are on his side, but luck and an unlikely friendship with a lone baboon also come into play. Though the final art for Judge’s illustrations was not seen, the sketches look very promising. Readers with no particular interest in African animals may find themselves unexpectedly caught up in this well-told, life-or-death adventure tale, while children who love animals, even those as apparently unlovable as the warthog, will be in their element here. Grades 3-5. --Carolyn Phelan, Booklist
Monday, August 17, 2009
New Books at the Library
ADULT MYSTERY
"Private Patient" by P.D. James - Both P. D. James and Adam Dalgliesh, both in their 80s, have aged like fine wine. Critics agreed that if The Private Patient, a closed-room mystery, is not among the best in the series, it nonetheless outranks most crime fiction. James brings her usual intellect to bear on this novel: literary references and philosophical discussions; an elegant, leisurely style; a highly atmospheric setting; suspicious distant relatives; and meaningful coincidences. Reviewers diverged, however, on the characterization and plotting. Some thought the characters were psychologically complex, while others thought they—along with the plot—were "reduced to a kind of box-ticking" (Guardian). Finally, Dalgliesh didn't seem completely present—perhaps in anticipation of his imminent retirement and marriage. -- Bookmarks Magazine
PICTURE BOOK
"Hook" by Ed Young - “This stirring story will remind readers of the Ugly Duckling, but its timeless message of determination reaches far past the fairytale genre.” —Starred, Booklist
“Young's suggestive dusky views are by turns confusing, comical, and striking. Along with the minimal narrative, they leave space for readers to ponder and question. They offer nice opportunities for shared reading and, of course, special moments of recognition for readers familiar with Andersen's tale.” —School Library Journal
"Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy" by David Soman - Taking on the guise of her superhero alter-ego (including a red tutu and spotted wings), she makes her own fun on the way to the playground by leaping over sidewalk cracks and counting to infinity. However, once she and her mother arrive, Ladybug Girl faces a new challenge: she wants to play with her friend Sam, but they can't agree on what to do. Lulu is frustrated at first, but then suggests playing the Ladybug Girl game. Sam, clad in yellow and black, quickly turns into Bumblebee Boy, and the two "zoom around…looking to help anyone in trouble." When two girls ask to join in, but both want to be Butterfly Girl, Ladybug Girl tactfully defuses the situation by saying, "If we're going to play together...we don't fight each other." One youngster agrees to be Dragonfly Girl and the Bug Squad flies again. Like the previous book, this offering paints a realistic picture of the daily struggles in a youngster's life. The conflict and resolution ring true, as does the dialogue. The lesson is clearly stated, but not heavy-handed. The cartoon illustrations are bright, expressive, and beautifully presented. Pair this book with one of Mini Grey's "Traction Man" titles (Knopf) for a superb superhero storytime.—Rachael Vilmar, Eastern Shore Regional Library, Salisbury, MD
"Tale of Two Mice" by Ruth Brown - Tension builds as a feline predator, often hiding in plain sight, stalks two mice. Children will appreciate the efforts of cautious Billy, who repeatedly attempts to alert his older sibling, Bo, of their imminent danger. Happily, the mice make a narrow escape even as the ever-oblivious Bo cautions Billy, "If you ever see a cat, you must tell me AT ONCE." Muted watercolors in various hues of brown and blue depict the world of a gloomy old manor full of spooky surprises. Lift-the-flaps offer plenty of opportunity to explore these detail-laden pages. Brown plays with scale, sometimes showing the entire cat hidden in a corner; on other pages, readers see just a hint of an oversize tail, or a large gleaming eye from behind a cabinet door. The spare prose and large pictures make this good for sharing.—Madigan McGillicuddy, Los Angeles Public Library
YOUNG ADULT
"Bayou, Vol. 1" by Jeremy Love - Extremely beautiful, scary and wonderful, this Web comic takes readers to a pair of almost familiar, frequently threatening worlds. We first journey back in time to Mississippi, 1933, where a black sharecropper's daughter, Lee Wagstaff, is learning how to be strong in a segregated society. While Lee and her white friend, Lily, are playing near the bayou where black victims of racial violence are thrown, Lily is abducted by a monster—but Lee's father is blamed. To save him from a lynch mob by rescuing her friend, Lee enters the parallel universe of Dixie, where Southern folklore comes to life in disturbing echoes of our world. There she meets the eponymous character, a hulking creature living alone in a shack, troubled by disturbing memories and threatened by hateful embodiments of the South's violent past. When Lee convinces Bayou that he doesn't have to remain a victim, the two of them set off on a joint quest for understanding and redemption. Love's script and art, laid out in big blocks like Sunday comics, are lovely and eloquent; Morgan's coloring fills the panels with hazy sunlight and menacing darkness. --Publisher's Weekly Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
"Private Patient" by P.D. James - Both P. D. James and Adam Dalgliesh, both in their 80s, have aged like fine wine. Critics agreed that if The Private Patient, a closed-room mystery, is not among the best in the series, it nonetheless outranks most crime fiction. James brings her usual intellect to bear on this novel: literary references and philosophical discussions; an elegant, leisurely style; a highly atmospheric setting; suspicious distant relatives; and meaningful coincidences. Reviewers diverged, however, on the characterization and plotting. Some thought the characters were psychologically complex, while others thought they—along with the plot—were "reduced to a kind of box-ticking" (Guardian). Finally, Dalgliesh didn't seem completely present—perhaps in anticipation of his imminent retirement and marriage. -- Bookmarks Magazine
PICTURE BOOK
"Hook" by Ed Young - “This stirring story will remind readers of the Ugly Duckling, but its timeless message of determination reaches far past the fairytale genre.” —Starred, Booklist
“Young's suggestive dusky views are by turns confusing, comical, and striking. Along with the minimal narrative, they leave space for readers to ponder and question. They offer nice opportunities for shared reading and, of course, special moments of recognition for readers familiar with Andersen's tale.” —School Library Journal
"Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy" by David Soman - Taking on the guise of her superhero alter-ego (including a red tutu and spotted wings), she makes her own fun on the way to the playground by leaping over sidewalk cracks and counting to infinity. However, once she and her mother arrive, Ladybug Girl faces a new challenge: she wants to play with her friend Sam, but they can't agree on what to do. Lulu is frustrated at first, but then suggests playing the Ladybug Girl game. Sam, clad in yellow and black, quickly turns into Bumblebee Boy, and the two "zoom around…looking to help anyone in trouble." When two girls ask to join in, but both want to be Butterfly Girl, Ladybug Girl tactfully defuses the situation by saying, "If we're going to play together...we don't fight each other." One youngster agrees to be Dragonfly Girl and the Bug Squad flies again. Like the previous book, this offering paints a realistic picture of the daily struggles in a youngster's life. The conflict and resolution ring true, as does the dialogue. The lesson is clearly stated, but not heavy-handed. The cartoon illustrations are bright, expressive, and beautifully presented. Pair this book with one of Mini Grey's "Traction Man" titles (Knopf) for a superb superhero storytime.—Rachael Vilmar, Eastern Shore Regional Library, Salisbury, MD
"Tale of Two Mice" by Ruth Brown - Tension builds as a feline predator, often hiding in plain sight, stalks two mice. Children will appreciate the efforts of cautious Billy, who repeatedly attempts to alert his older sibling, Bo, of their imminent danger. Happily, the mice make a narrow escape even as the ever-oblivious Bo cautions Billy, "If you ever see a cat, you must tell me AT ONCE." Muted watercolors in various hues of brown and blue depict the world of a gloomy old manor full of spooky surprises. Lift-the-flaps offer plenty of opportunity to explore these detail-laden pages. Brown plays with scale, sometimes showing the entire cat hidden in a corner; on other pages, readers see just a hint of an oversize tail, or a large gleaming eye from behind a cabinet door. The spare prose and large pictures make this good for sharing.—Madigan McGillicuddy, Los Angeles Public Library
YOUNG ADULT
"Bayou, Vol. 1" by Jeremy Love - Extremely beautiful, scary and wonderful, this Web comic takes readers to a pair of almost familiar, frequently threatening worlds. We first journey back in time to Mississippi, 1933, where a black sharecropper's daughter, Lee Wagstaff, is learning how to be strong in a segregated society. While Lee and her white friend, Lily, are playing near the bayou where black victims of racial violence are thrown, Lily is abducted by a monster—but Lee's father is blamed. To save him from a lynch mob by rescuing her friend, Lee enters the parallel universe of Dixie, where Southern folklore comes to life in disturbing echoes of our world. There she meets the eponymous character, a hulking creature living alone in a shack, troubled by disturbing memories and threatened by hateful embodiments of the South's violent past. When Lee convinces Bayou that he doesn't have to remain a victim, the two of them set off on a joint quest for understanding and redemption. Love's script and art, laid out in big blocks like Sunday comics, are lovely and eloquent; Morgan's coloring fills the panels with hazy sunlight and menacing darkness. --Publisher's Weekly Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
