New Arrivals

ADULT FICTION

"Alex Cross's Trial" by James Patterson - The 15th book in James Patterson's Alex Cross series takes us back to early-20th-century America, deep into the heart of Mississippi Jim Crow country. A brave young lawyer named Ben Corbett has been summoned to the White House by President Theodore Roosevelt and given the enviable assignment of investigating reports of lynchings in the Deep South, with the help of a Eudora, Mississippi, man who happens to be Abraham Cross, a great-uncle of Alex. Once on the scene, Ben begins to notice that his every movement is being watched. He has a clear choice: Beat a hasty retreat back to Washington or stay and risk his own violent demise. Torchlit danger and suspense. -- Barnes & Noble

"Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown - Within this book's hermetically sealed universe, characters' motivations don't really have to make sense; they just have to generate the nonstop momentum that makes The Lost Symbol impossible to put down…The Lost Symbol manages to take a twisting, turning route through many such aspects of the occult even as it heads for a final secret that is surprising for a strange reason: It's unsurprising. It also amounts to an affirmation of faith. In the end it is Mr. Brown's sweet optimism, even more than Langdon's sleuthing and explicating, that may amaze his readers most. -- Janet Maslin, The New York Times

"That Old Cape Magic" by Richard Russo - "Touching, sharp-witted...A deft exploration of the events that can shape a life...A brilliant work, and yes, a great American novel." -- Andrew Egan, Forbes

ADULT NON-FICTION

"Animals Make Us Human" by Temple Grandin - "How do you give your animal the best life? ... (the author) shows us surprising new ways to make our pets and other animals happy."--back cover

"The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care" by T. R. Reid - Washington Post correspondent Reid (The United States of Europe) explores health-care systems around the world in an effort to understand why the U.S. remains the only first world nation to refuse its citizens universal health care. -- Publisher's Weekly

"A Hidden Wholeness The Journey Toward and Undivided Life" by Parker A. Palmer - At a time when many of us seek ways of working and living that are more resonant with our souls, A Hidden Wholeness offers insight into our condition and guidance for finding what we seek--within ourselves and with each other.--Back cover

"NurtureShock" by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman - The central premise of this book is that many of modern society's most popular strategies for raising children are in fact backfiring because key points in the science of child development and behavior have been overlooked. Two errant assumptions are responsible for current distorted child-rearing habits, dysfunctional school programs and wrongheaded social policies: first, things work in children the same way they work in adults and, second, positive traits necessarily oppose and ward off negative behavior. These myths, and others, are addressed in 10 provocative chapters.--Publishers Weekly

"Strength in What Remains" by Tracy Kidder - ...recounts the story of Deo, the Burundian former medical student turned American émigré at the center of this strikingly vivid story. Told in flashbacks from Deo's 2006 return visit to Burundi to mid-1990s New York and the Burundi of childhood memory and young adulthood-as the Rwandan genocide spilled across the border following the same inflamed ethnic divisions-then picking up in 2003, when author and subject first meet, Deo's experience is conveyed with a remarkable depth of vision and feeling.--Publishers Weekly

"Goat Song A Seasonal Life, A Short History of Herding and the Art of Making Cheese" by Brad Kessler - "An urban dweller drawn to the land starts a pastoral life with goats on a small farm in Vermont. Wonderful descriptions of how people from many different cultures have both a spiritual and a poetic connection with being a shepherd."--Temple Grandin, author of Animals Make Us Human

BIOGRAPHY

"Everything Will Be All Right" by Douglas Wallace - A story of poverty, alcoholism, and violence that destroyed his childhood while perseverance and ambitions saved his life.--Back Cover

"Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy" edited by Peter S. Canellos - Perceptive and carefully reported, drawing from candid interviews with the Kennedy family and inner circle, Last Lion captures magnificently the life and historic achievements of Ted Kennedy, as well as the personal redemption that he found.--inside front cover

"True Compass" by Edward M. Kennedy - "[A] deeply affecting memoir... he writes with searching candor about the losses, joys and lapses of his life; the love and closeness of his family; the solace he found in sailing and the sea; his complex relationships with political allies and rivals. Mr. Kennedy's conversational gifts as a storyteller and his sense of humor -- so often remarked on by colleagues and friends -- shine through here, as does his old-school sense of public service and his hard-won knowledge, in his son Teddy Jr.'s words, that 'even our most profound losses are survivable.'"-- Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

MYSTERY

"Dead and Gone" by Charlaine Harris - "A delightful southern vampire detective series."--The Denver Post

"Even Money" by Dick Francis and Felix Francis - "..a taut crime thriller, featuring an especially sympathetic hero..the authors make bookmaking intelligible while easily integrating it into the plot."--Publishers Weekly

"The Girl Who Played With Fire" by Stieg Larsson - "As good as crime fighting gets..Completely absorbing and engaging on both a narrative and a moral level...Lisbeth Salander [is] a remarkable heroine."--The Time Literary Supplement

"The Scarecrow" by Michael Connelly - "a nail-biting thriller featuring reporter James McEvoy...This magnificent effort is a reminder of why Connelly is one of today's top crime authors."--Publishers Weekly

"Smash Cut" by Sandra Brown - "This superlative romantic ...features a particularly memorable villain, sociopath Creighton Wheeler, who's obsessed with re-enacting scenes from films like Strangers on a Train and Frenzy."--Publishers Weekly

"The Winner Stands Alone" by Paul Coelho - "Coelho's latest blends spiritual allegory with elements of a thriller and does not lend itself to an easy audio production. Paul Boehner singlehandedly tackles a cast of characters with a wide spectrum of languages and ethnic identities."--Publishers Weekly

JUVENILE FICTION

"The Calder Game" by Blue Balliett - Blue Balliett has created an amazing novel that makes readers observe keenly, feel deeply, and see the world around them in a new and brilliant way.--inside front cover

"The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd - “The best mysteries have at their centers gifted but very human sleuths—their abilities balanced by equally significant flaws or idiosyncrasies. This one is no exception.”--The Horn Book

"Savvy" by Ingrid Law - Mibs is about to turn thirteen, and in her remarkable family, becoming a teenager means finally discovering your extra-special ability--your savvy.--Back Cover

"Greetings from Nowhere" by Barbara O'Connor - "In Barbara O'Connor's warmhearted novel, a cast of unforgettable characters learn that hope is sometimes discovered in the most unlikely places."--inside front cover

"Steel Trapp: The Challenge" by Ridley Pearson - Steven Steel Trapp—so nicknamed for a photographic memory tight as a steel trap— is aboard a train on his way to the National Science Challenge in Washington, D.C., when he unwittingly runs afoul of a gangster with ties to overseas terrorist organizations. Steve joins forces with Kaileigh, a runaway, and the two take it upon themselves to rescue a woman they suspect is being held hostage. Now they just need to figure out by whom, and for what reason, all the while dodging meddling adults—from an overprotective mom and harried nanny to various federal agents—tripping over themselves, even as they stay one step behind Steel and Kaileigh. As the plot accelerates toward the conclusion, Steel realizes, This is just like Spy Kids! a serviceable benchmark. Pearson’s leap into the youth thriller market is less successful than the Peter Pan books he coauthored with Dave Barry, but this has imaginative plot twists, and is a kid-friendly take on a familiar genre. Grades 5-8. --Ian Chipman, Booklist

"The 39 Clues Book 1: The Maze of Bones" by Rick Riordan - Built around a ripe conceit—wealthy matriarch scatters cryptic clues to a mysterious fortune around the globe. Lead-off hitter Riordan (The Lightning Thief) mixes just the right proportions of suspense, peril and puzzles in a fast-paced read. Likable orphans Amy and Dan Cahill have moxie (plus Dan can memorize numbers instantly) and frailties (Amy hates crowds). As the siblings compete with less honorable members of the Cahill clan, all distantly related to Benjamin Franklin, to win the fortune by collecting all 39 clues, they learn about their dead parents, each other and world history. The humor is spot on—one uncle is credited with inventing the microwave burrito. The only flaw? The story does not end so much as drop off a cliff. Ages 9–12. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love" by Lauren Tarshis - Audio Book - Tarshis proves she "gets" adolescent female friendships (not to mention seventh grade) in this funny and empathetic follow-up to Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree...[Emma-Jean's] blossoming appreciation for emotions that logic can't explain, sympathetic supporting characters and an uplifting finale will warm hearts. ---Publishers Weekly

JUVENILE NON-FICTION

"The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary" by Candace Fleming - On spreads that combine well-chosen visuals with blocks of headlined text, Fleming gives a full, birth-to-death view of the “inextricably bound” Lincolns. Once again, Fleming humanizes her subjects and offers a broader perspective on their times with cleverly juxtaposed facts, anecdotes, and images. Although the reproductions are often small and dark, the intriguing visual mix will easily draw readers and browsers alike. Included are paintings and etchings of heartrending historical events, church documents, handwritten notes, and political cartoons. Fleming’s writing, filled with quotes and personal details, is just as lively as the assortment of images, and an extensive time line, suggested resources, and source notes round out the text. Starting with her personal introduction, this exemplary resource will prompt readers to consider how an individual’s life story, and a country’s history, are constructed. Grades 7-12. --Gillian Engberg, Booklist

"Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan" by Jeanette Winter - Young Nasreen has not spoken a word to anyone since her parents disappeared. In despair, her grandmother risks everything to enroll Nasreen in a secret school for girls. Will a devoted teacher, a new friend, and the worlds she discovers in books be enough to draw Nasreen out of her shell of sadness? Based on a true story from Afghanistan, this inspiring book will touch readers deeply as it affirms both the life-changing power of education and the healing power of love.

YOUNG ADULT

"Beneath My Mother's Feet" by Amjed Qamar - Growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Karachi, Pakistan, Nazia has always been a dutiful daughter. She works hard in school, helps her mother at home, and prepares for her upcoming marriage to a cousin. Then Nazia’s father loses his job and his will to work, her dowry is stolen, and the family descends swiftly into poverty. After eviction from their home, Nazia and her mother take positions as live-in servants in a wealthy Karachi suburb, and Nazia begins a life of labor, leaving school behind. With rich detail, Qamar’s heartrending novel explores the cultural and economic pressures facing a young girl in contemporary Pakistan. Grades 7-10. --Gillian Engberg, Booklist

"The Great Wide Sea" by M.H. Herlong - Ben, Dylan, and Gerry are still mourning their mother’s death when their dad decides to buy a boat and take them on a year-long sailing trip. Tensions flare between Ben and his father, but they gradually learn to live together in close quarters. But one morning, the boys wake up to discover their father has disappeared—and they are lost. What happened to him? Where are they? And what will they do when a treacherous storm looms on the horizon?

M. H. Herlong spins a gripping tale of adventure, survival, and the bonds of brotherhood in The Great Wide Sea.--Product Description, Amazon

"After Tupac & D Foster" by Jacqueline Woodson - "Woodson balances the plotlines with subtle details, authentic language, and rich development. Beautifully capturing the girls’ passage from childhood to adolescence, this is a memorable, affecting novel about the sustaining power of love and friendship and each girl’s developing faith in her own “Big Purpose.” Grades 6-9. --Gillian Engberg, Booklist

"Bog Child" by Siobhan Dowd - While cutting peat in the Irish hills, Fergus McCann and his uncle discover a body preserved by the bog. Archaeologists and politicians fight over the find, while Fergus starts to dream about the past of the bog child he names “Mel.” Dowd slowly reveals the story of Mel’s mysterious death, an apparent murder, .. Fergus’ imprisoned older brother joins the strike as Fergus is blackmailed into delivering packages that may contain bomb-making supplies. The history may need fleshing out with additional sources, but the intriguing characters and their motivations and sacrifices will translate directly to contemporary readers. The plotlines are braided together into a strong story that is rich in language, setting, and theme. Grades 8-11. --Cindy Dobrez, Booklist

"Twisted" by Laurie Halse Anderson - Tyler Miller was a socially invisible nerd before he sprayed some attention-getting graffiti and became a legend. Sentenced to a summer of physical labor, he enters his senior year with new muscles that attract popular Bethany Millbury, whose father is Tyler's dad's boss. On probation for his graffiti stunt, Tyler struggles to balance his consuming crush with pressure that comes from schoolwork and his explosive father, and after Tyler is implicated in a drunken crime, his balancing act falls apart. The dialogue occasionally has the cliched feel of a teen movie. What works well here is the frank, on-target humor, the taut pacing, and the small moments, recounted in Tyler's first-person voice, that illuminate his emotional anguish. Writing for the first time from a male perspective, Anderson skillfully explores identity and power struggles that all young people will recognize. Gillian Engberg, BooklistCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

"Back Home" by Julia Keller - "Julia Keller has written a novel of heartrending honesty and integrity. Her characters are vividly drawn, her "ordinary" American family is achingly real, and what is perhaps most impressive about Back Home is the author's refusal to provide easy answers, let alone easy solutions, to a contemporary social tragedy. Back Home is a novel for readers of all ages."
--Joyce Carol Oates

"Unwind" by Neal Shusterman - "Shusterman has created a world where nothing is what it seems...a rip-roaring adventure complete with monsters, blimps, and high-diving horses."--School Library Journal

"Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit" by Nahoko Uehashi - "An epic martial arts fantasy straight from the Land of the Rising Sun. Chock full of swords, shuriken, and masterful moves from an unconventional hero who must balance the weight of the world on the tip of her spear." ---Jeff Stone, author of the Five Ancestors series

PICTURE BOOKS

"A Book of 123" by Simms Taback
"Andy Alligator" by Sarah Albee
"Beware of the Frog" by William Bee
"Chicken Said "Cluck"" by Judyann Ackerman Grant
"Marley Goes to School" by John Grogan
"Maybe A Bear Ate It!" by Robie H. Harris
"Old Bear" by Kevin Henkes
"The Hinky Pink" by Megan McDonald
"A Fish Out of Water" by Helen Palmer
"One Boy" by Laura Vaccaro Seeger


DVD's

"Away We Go" - "A marriage made in comedy heaven!" --Karen Durbin, The New York Times
"Crank 2 High Voltage" - "Like a 1,000-volt shot to the heart."--Sam Adams, Los Angeles Times
"Next Day Air" - "A bloody screwball comedy."--Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times
"Watchmen" - A Powerful Experience." --Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times
"State of Play" -- "A gripping thriller..."--Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"DisneyNature Earth" --"Better than March of the Penquins" --Peter Hammond, Hollywood.com