ADULT FICTION
"31 Hours" by Masha Hamilton - "A woman in New York awakens knowing, as deeply as a mother s blood can know, that her grown son is in danger. His name is Jonas... We soon learn that Jonas is isolated in a safe-house apartment in New York City, pondering his conversion to Islam and his experiences training in Pakistan, preparing for the violent action he has been instructed to take in 31 hours. Jonas's absence from the lives of those who love him causes a cascade of events, and as the novel moves through the streets and subways of New York we come to know intimately the lives of its characters. We also learn to feel deeply the connections and disconnections that occur between young people and their parents not only in this country but in the Middle East as well. Carried by Hamilton's highly-lauded prose, this story about the helplessness of those who cannot contact a beloved young man who is on a devastatingly confused path is compelling on the most human level." - Amazon
"The Reluctant Fundamentalist" by Mohsin Hamid - "A young Pakistani man, educated at Princeton and employed in a highly prestigious financial-analysis firm in New York, was about to start a brilliant career and had fallen for a young woman whose commitment to him, it must be admitted, was partial and elusive when the terrorist attacks occurred. Answering to his own conscience, he could not remain in the U.S. By the pull of his true personal identity, he must return to Pakistan, despite his reluctance to leave the enigmatic but beguiling young woman behind. From the perspective of a few years later, the young man relates his American experiences to an American man he meets in a cafe, whose visit to Lahore may or may not have to do with the young man's recent anti-American activities. This novel's firm, steady, even beautiful voice proclaims the completeness of the soul when personal and global issues are conjoined." - Brad Hooper, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2007.
"Shanghai Girls" by Lisa See - In prewar 1930s Shanghai, carefree sisters Pearl Chin and younger, prettier May are the 'beautiful girls' whose images on posters beckon viewers to buy products. They openly scoff at their parents' superstitious, old-world ways, but they soon learn that the good life is but an illusion. The Japanese army's brutal invasion of the city makes their lives as beautiful girls impossible. Their businessman father loses everything to the ruthless mob, and to pay off his debts he forces his daughters into arranged marriages to Chinese men living in the United States. See is masterly in her powerful depictions of the prejudice and harsh treatment the sisters encounter as they try to assimilate into the strange new world of Los Angeles. Possibly the best book yet from the author of Peony in Love; highly recommended." - LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2009.
" So Much for That" by Lionel Shriver - "Shep Knacker's long-cherished plan to use the million dollars from the sale of his handyman business to retire to a tropical island receives a gut- wrenching blow when his wife, Glynis, is diagnosed with a rare cancer. Transformed into a full-time caregiver, the good-natured Shep is buoyed during the illness of self-centered, vindictive, and obnoxiously demanding Glynis by his working mate and best friend, Jackson Burdina, whose teenage daughter, Flicka, also has a terminal disease. Ironically, Glynis tenaciously clings to life, while Flicka, with whom she bonds, wants to end hers. Jackson, meanwhile, acutely conscious that he's going broke, rails pungently against government regulations and the insurance industry. A mouthpiece for the plight of middle-class workers, Jackson's diatribes about contemporary society--the medical, educational and banking systems, exorbitant taxation, political chicanery--ring painfully true. As Shep's Merrill-Lynch account dwindles and further medical calamities arise, Shriver twists the plot to raise suspense until the heart-lifting denouement." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2009.
"Big Girl" by Daniel Steel - "Victoria Dawson has always felt like an outcast. When her little sister Grace is born, father Jim tells Victoria she was the 'tester cake,' and they finally got it right with the beautiful Gracie. Victoria grows up in her sister's shadow, and though she loves Gracie dearly, she's anxious to leave home. The pain doesn't stop there, though. Her father calls her first job at a prestigious private school in Manhattan 'pathetic,' and Victoria begins a battle with her weight and her belief that she is unlovable (even though men pursue her). The premise of the story is sound, but it doesn't ring true: the parents are two- dimensional, cruel monsters and Victoria seems to have everything: fantastic job, amazing apartment, perfect best friends. It's hard to believe that her parents would still wield such power. Steel barely grazes the surface of an important topic, but it's not reality that has positioned her at the top of bestseller lists." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2010.
"Coming Home" by Mariah Stewart - Grady left the FBI to mourn his murdered wife and lived for several years in solitary grief in their Montana home. Now he's ready to get back to the world of the living. The first thing he wants to do is visit his sister, Mia, who lives near the Chesapeake Bay. That's where he finds a new love." - BRODART CO., c2010
"A River in the Sky" by Elizabeth Peters -"Set in 1910, the novel takes Amelia and her husband, Emerson, to Palestine, where an English adventurer, George Morley, is planning to excavate Jerusalem's Temple Mount in search of the Ark of the Covenant. Gen. David Spencer, the director of Military Operations in London, suspects Morley of spying for the Germans. Spencer wants Egyptologists Amelia and Emerson to stop Morley from undertaking a project sure to offend the three religious groups that consider the temple site holy. Meanwhile, son Ramses embarks on a treacherous journey to convey to his parents important information learned from two travelers he meets while on a dig in Samaria. Once again, MWA Grandmaster Peters uses vivid settings, sharp characterizations, and deft dialogue to transport the reader to another time and place." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2010.
"In the Fullness of Time" by Vincent Nicolosi - "On Monday, November 23, 1963 President John F. Kennedy was buried in Arlington. During the stillness of this momentous day, Tristan Tecumseh Hamilton begins a long look back at his life and times, and at the life and time of his neighbor and fellow townsman, President Warren G. Harding, who died mysteriously in San Fransisco forty years before. Throughout the final week of November 1963, the assassination and burial of President Kennedy becomes the mirror through which the now aging Tristan views the storied and long-buried past as it rises all around him. Power and love, ambition and loyalty, war and the devotion to home these universal themes weave through the rich and intricate tapestry of the magisterial American epic that encompasses the world from the vantage of home." - Publisher's description
BIOGRAPHY
"Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" by Richard Phillips -Captain Philips of the Maersk Alabama writes about the hijacking of his ship by Somali pirates and his ordeal as their hostage. A mariner of 30 years' experience when his ship was taken, he had in place all the security precautions to keep his crew safe and hidden. This left him as the only possible hostage and led to an ordeal of several days in a lifeboat in the hands of pirates whom he portrays, with compassion and balance, as alternately conciliatory, vicious, and simply not all there. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy assembled a task force large enough to fight a small war, and tension steadily rose, as did Phillips' fear for his life. The pirate leader decamped, and the other three died in a classic hostage rescue by U.S. Navy SEALs.... one closes the book with an overpowering sense that this time, for once, the good guys won." Roland Green, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2010
"The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama" by David Remnick -"Remnick's major contribution to the river of Obama books is a sharply honed work of 'biographical journalism' unique in its multiplicity of perspectives, contextual richness, and astute analysis of the president's 'political, racial, and sentimental education.'.. Remnick vividly depicts Obama as a novice campaigner, resented state senator, and restless member of Congress; a charismatic man of discipline and brilliance, conviction and conciliation, who connected with exactly the right people to support his visionary, fast-tracked political ascendency. In his spectacularly encompassing, analytical, and dramatic portrait, Remnick calibrates the deepest reverberations of Obama's transformative journey to the White House. Donna Seaman. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2010.
"Thought for Jesse: A Father's Tribute" by Nathan Strong - "... as much a work of scholarship and theology as it is a loving ode to his son, Jesse Warner Strong, a seminary student who died on patrol in Iraq. ...Strong discusses the purpose of life, marriage and divorce, parenting, counseling and revival, and thoughts on the reflection of God in our lives and the call to missions." - Amazon
"Spoken from the Heart" by Laura Bush - "In this brave, beautiful, and deeply personal memoir, Laura Bush, one of our most beloved and private first ladies, tells her own extraordinary story." - inside front cover
MYSTERY
"Aunt Amity Down Under" by Nancy Atherton - "Lori Shepherd has received bad news. Her neighbors, Ruth and Louise Pym, may be dying. When the eccentric sisters ask her to find their long-lost brother before it's too late, naturally, she can't refuse. Her journey to find him leads her to New Zealand. With the help of a charming Kiwi and the otherwordly guidance of Aunt Dimity, Lori unravels a web of secrets that has haunted the Pym family for generations." BRODART CO., c2009.
"Death of a Valentine" by M.C. Beaton - "...a Valentine's Day parcel explodes in the face of the Scottish Highlands' Lammas festival queen, Annie Fleming, as soon as she tries to open it, killing her instantly. Hamish Macbeth, newly promoted to sergeant, would rather investigate with only his trusty pets in tow, but is instead forced to tote along his new constable, the less than professional Josie McSween. Considered prim and proper and a right innocent, Annie turns out to have been leading a less than virtuous double life, with no shortage of suspects in her murder. A much sought after bachelor, Hamish desperately tries to break the case, while Josie, with dreams in her eyes, strives to crack Hamish's heart. Will Josie succeed in getting Hamish to say I do at the altar? For all the book's farcical moments, Beaton takes care as usual to provide a satisfying police procedural." - Publisher's Weekly - Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
"The Shadow of Your Smile" by Mary Higgins Clark -"When a deceased nun, Sister Catherine, becomes a candidate for sainthood in this gripping thriller from bestseller Clark (Just Take My Heart), Monica Farrell, a 31-year-old Manhattan pediatrician, becomes the target of those who don't want her to inherit what's left of a fortune created by her unknown grandfather, Alex Gannon, with whom Catherine had a secret love child before she took up holy orders. That child, given up for adoption, became Monica's father. Monica must now testify whether two boys became cancer-free due to prayers to Sister Catherine so she can qualify for beatification. Meanwhile, Olivia Morrow, Catherine's 82-year-old dying cousin, ponders whether to tell Monica she's Alex's granddaughter. Clark skillfully mixes spiritual questions with down and dirty deeds as she reveals Gannon Foundation funds have been steadily siphoned off by greedy heirs and associates who will stop at nothing, even murder, to keep their criminal misbehavior under wraps." PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2010.
"Deception" by Jonathan Kellerman - "Deputy Chief Weinberg assigns LAPD Lt. Milo Sturgis a particularly sensitive murder case at the outset of bestseller Kellerman's smooth if routine 25th Alex Delaware novel (after Evidence). Elise Freeman, a teacher and tutor at exclusive Windsor Preparatory Academy in Brentwood, is found dead in her Studio City apartment in a bathtub full of dry ice. Despite Elise's having left a DVD accusing three fellow teachers at the academy of repeated sexual harassment, Weinberg wants (for personal reasons) the investigation to involve the school as little as possible. As usual, psychologist Alex Delaware takes an active role in the investigation, which finds the victim had lots to hide. A boyfriend, students, teachers, and administrators are all anxious to keep those secrets hidden--and at least one of them is willing to kill again. Milo and Alex form an odd but effective duo as they trade banter and insights while sorting out the lies and deceptions." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2010.
"Split Image" by Robert B. Parker -"The body found in the trunk of the car was that of a low level mobster and it had all the appearances of being a mob hit. While it was reason for concern, it took on new meaning when a high-ranking crime figure was later found dead on Paradise Beach, where coincidentally, tough guy Reggie Galen and his wife Rebecca lived. Police Chief Jess Stone and his ex-wife, Sunny Randall, team up to solve the case and rekindle old feelings." - BRODART CO., c2009.
"Fantasy in Death" by J. D. Robb - "Lt. Eve Dallas, a top homicide cop for the New York Police and Security Department (the law enforcement agency for a mid 21st-century New York City), faces one of the more challenging cases of her career... When someone cuts off the head of Bart Minnock, the genius founder of the computer gaming company U-Play, apparently while he was role-playing against an imaginary opponent in a prototype of a fantasy adventure that could rock the industry, Eve investigates. Security logs show no one entered Minnock's building around the time of his murder, presenting a futuristic variation on the classic locked-room mystery. Aided by her husband, Roarke, who was a potential business rival of the victim, Dallas focuses on who would benefit from Minnock's death." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2009.
"The Mapping of Love and Death" by Jacqueline Winspear - " A Maisie Dobbs mystery based on a true story about the discovery of a collapsed dugout from World War I containing the bodies of a cartography team and their equipment. The American parents of the dead cartographer hire Maisie to find 'the English Nurse,' the young man's mysterious lover--and possibly his killer, as the autopsy evidence points to his having been murdered shortly before the dugout collapsed. Only a few hours after having hired Maisie, the Americans are attacked and badly beaten, prompting Maisie to take it upon herself to discover their attacker. Maisie and her assistant, Billy, take on the case in their usual careful and contemplative style, even as difficulties in Maisie's personal life challenge her concentration. Readers who preferred the earlier novels in the series will be pleased with this entry and those waiting for Maisie to finally find a love interest will have something to cheer about. A must read for series fans, especially because the ending hints that big changes are on the way for Maisie." - Jessica Moyer. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2010.
ADULT NON-FICTION
"A Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North Central North America" by Roger Tory Peterson - "1,293 species in 84 families are described and illustrated." - back cover
"29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving can Change Your Life" by Cami Walker - "Walker presents a story that gets to the core of the emotional pain and loneliness that people feel when suffering from a serious disease like multiple sclerosis (MS), which she was diagnosed with at age 35. Readers will instantly connect with this narrative of her journey to find an alternative to withering away in her apartment. Through the help of a spiritual leader, Walker begins to heal herself emotionally by giving away 29 gifts in 29 days. Her story unfolds nicely, and the reader is left with a good picture of what it's like to live with MS. Walker turns what could have been a book about self-pity into a great read about pain and a creative way to get on with life." - LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2009.
"A Conservationist Manifesto" by Scott Russell Sanders - How should we act in response to alarming environmental havoc? As with every great endeavor, such as the abolition of slavery, what's needed is a declaration of values and intent. A manifesto. Sanders, a proven voice of reason and clarity, offers exactly such a document in the hope of shaping an effective green movement. But first he has some stories to share, terms to define, and fresh perspectives to establish. Writing lucidly and stirringly from his home base in Indiana, Sanders views preserving wilderness as a Sabbath in space instead of in time. People who practice an 'ethic of restraint' are ark builders because their simpler ways of living are 'vessels' holding the wisdom we need to survive the 'rising flood' of environmental concerns. Sanders writes crisply about what it really means to call a place home; reminds us of our 'common wealth,' the living world; and decries 'endless consumption.' Generosity of spirit and love of life underpin Sanders' 40-point blueprint for ecological health." Donna Seaman. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.
JUVENILE BIOGRAPHY
"The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum" by Candace Fleming - "Big-top pioneer Barnum had an equally indelible effect on the history of museums and zoology. This biography captures the spirit of the man and his era. While Fleming lauds his accomplishments, she doesn't shy away from ethical issues that, from a modern perspective, threaten to tarnish his legacy. The handsome book design includes an abundance of photographs and illustrations, sidebars and subheadings" - THE HORN BOOK, c2010
JUVENILE FICTION
"Scat" by Carl Hiaasen - "Hiassen's smooth writing, whacked-out humor, and highly entertaining cast of oddball characters keep the plot clipping along." - Publisher's Weekly
"The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly - "Debut author Jacqueline Kelly deftly brings Callie and her family to life, capturing an unusual year with unique sensitivity and wit." - inside front cover
"The Dragon of Trelian" by Michelle Knudsen - "Together, Calen and Meg discover that their unlikely friendship may be the only thing standing between the kingdom of Trelian and a devastating tragedy. Can an apprentice, a princess, and a dragon combine their strength and magic to bring down a secret traitor before it's to late?" -inside front cover
"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" by Grace Lin - "Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude." - Booklist
"Everything for a Dog" by Ann M. Martin -“Martin's book honors the unique companionship and healing powers that have earned dogs the title of man's best friend, and it will resonate with both the reader who is already a dog owner or who, like Henry, pines to be one.”— Shelf Awareness
"Shelf Awareness" by James Preller - “Preller displays a keen awareness of the complicated and often-conflicting instincts to fit in, find friends, and do the right thing. Although there are no pat answers, the message (that a bystander is hardly better than an instigator) is clear, and Preller’s well-shaped characters, strong writing, and realistic treatment of middle-school life deliver it cleanly.”— Booklist
"Project Sweet Life" by Brent Hartinger - "Hartinger’s comedy of errors is improbable but entertaining. The characters ring true, and teens will appreciate that the trio puts more effort into evading work than they would have expended at a real job. An amusing story with great teen appeal. Grades 6-9. --Lynn Rutan
"11 Birthdays" by Wendy Mass - "It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited---after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she's shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven't shared together. When Amanda turns in for the night, glad to have her birthday behind her, she wakes up happy for a new day. Or is it? Her birthday seems to be repeating iself. What is going on?! And how can she fix it? Only time, friendship, and a little luck will tell. . . "
"A Dog on His Own" by Mary Jane Auc - "...canine K-10 is an engaging character, whose lively narrative intimately details shelter life and survival challenges. Though some of the others are archetypes and there are a few potentially disturbing scenes, the dogs’ experiences facing their fears and learning the true meaning of friendship and family will resonate with kids. This is a compelling, affectionate story of opening not just one’s home, but also one’s heart." Grades 4-6. --Shelle Rosenfeld
"When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead - "Sixth-grader Miranda lives in 1978 New York City with her mother, and her life compass is Madeleine L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time"....Discerning readers will realize the ties between Miranda's mystery and L'Engle's plot, but will enjoy hints of fantasy and descriptions of middle school dynamics. Stead's novel is as much about character as story. Miranda's voice rings true with its faltering attempts at maturity and observation. The story builds slowly, emerging naturally from a sturdy premise...This unusual, thought-provoking mystery will appeal to several types of readers." –Caitlin Augusta, The Darien Library, CT School Library Journal
"Ragtag" by Karl Wolf-Morgenlander - "When the Talon Empire is pushed out of its woods, the raptor inhabitants begin to take over Boston, home of the Feathered Alliance. Soon young swallow Ragtag is leading the Feathered Alliance in the fight to save Boston, searching simultaneously for help from his missing eagle friend. Well-developed characters and quick pacing combine for an entertaining adventure for animal fantasy fans." - THE HORN BOOK, c2010
YOUNG ADULT BIOGRAPHY
"Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose - "Claudette Colvin was 15 when she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. While Rosa Parks became an icon for doing the same nine months later, Colvin become a footnote of history. Until now. Hoose, author of We Were There, Too!: Young People in U. S. History (2001), interviewed Colvin and came away with this winner of the 2009 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Colvin's matter-of-fact account of her individual courage is especially compelling set against the larger context of the Civil Rights era.... An unforgettable story."- LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2010.
JUVENILE NON-FICTION
"Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children and Don't You Weary" by Elizabeth Partridge - "Few of the many books about the Civil Rights era discuss the importance of children and teens to the movement. Children as young as eight were threatened, arrested, and mistreated alongside their parents and teachers. Here, Partridge gives voice to these children, particularly the ones who participated in the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. This photo-essay brings to life the events leading up to the march, which concluded in a speech made by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. before a crowd of 30,000. The images grip the reader with their intimate depictions of the courage of the many and the few." - LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2010.
"Adventures in Cartooning" by James Sturn Andrew Arnold and Alexis Frederick-Frost - "Not quite a how-to book, as the cover might suggest, this is rather a stupendous new high for children's graphic novels, spearheaded by comics maestro Sturm." - Booklist
PICTURE BOOKS
"Can You Find Colors"
"Into the Wild" by Lerryn Korda
"Dog Wants to Play" by Christine McDonnell
"Feeding the Sheep" by Leda Schubert
"Can You Make a Scary Face" by Jan Thomas
"Fancy Nancy: Poet Extraodinare" by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser
"Stretch" by Doreen Cronin and Scott Menchin
"I Love My White Shoes" by Eric Litwin
"Love-a-Duck" by Alan James Brown
"Here Comes the Garbage Barge!" by Jonah Winter
"Robot Zot!" by Jon Scieszka and David Shannon
"The Longest Night" by Marion Dane Bauer
"I'm the Best" by Lucy Cousins
"Chester's Masterpiece" by Melanie Watt
"Yucky Worms" by Vivian French
"Mirror, Mirror" by Marilyn Singer
"The Django" by Levi Pinfold
"The Pirate Cruncher" by Jonny Doddle
DVD's
"The Young Victoria" - "Based on the courtship and early reign of England's longest-serving monarch, THE YOUNG VICTORIA is a majestic tale of romance, intrigue and power." - back cover
"It's Complicated" - "hilarious look at marriage, divorce and everything in between" starring Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin - back cover
"Star Trek" - "On a thrilling journey filled with incredible action, the new recruits of the U.S.S. Enterprise will voyage through unimaginable danger in one of the biggest and most critically acclaimed movies of the year." - back cover
"The Hangover" - "Now this is what I'm talkin' about! A funny movie, flat out, all the way through." - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"Brothers" - "During Sam Cahill's fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan he is shot down. The worst is presumed, leaving an enormous void in the family. Despite a dark history, Sam's charismatic younger brother, steps in to fill the void." - back cover
"Avatar" - "A reluctant hero. An epic journey. A choice between the life he left behind and the incredible new world he's learned to call home. Return to James Cameron's AVATAR - the greatest adventure of all time." - back cover
"UP" - "a hilariously uplifting adventure where the sky is no longer the limit....Carl Frederickson, visiting the lost worlds of his childhood dreams, realizes that sometimes life's biggest adventures aren't the ones you set out looking for." - back cover
"Calamity Jane" - "This 1953 musical is very much a vehicle for Doris Day...as a wild cowgirl who can outshoot and outsing the range." - Amazon
"The Outsider" - Johnny Gault (Tim Daly) is a cold-blooded gunslinger who wasn't looking for trouble but finds it when he rides into a dusty little town. An excalating feud over land between ranchers and new settlers is ready to explode into violence."
"The Organizing Papertrail" - "the video will not only help you 'pay the piper' on time, but will also show you how to neatly arrange those bits and pieces of paper, magazines, and priceless works of art which are scattered throughout your house."
"Food, Inc." - "...lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing how our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health"
MUSIC
"Love Never Dies" by Andrew Lloyd Webber
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