Staff Picks
This riveting account of World War 1, 1914-1918, is told through the personal narratives of twenty individuals from 12 countries who were caught up in and endured a war that was first welcomed, later detested. These people included ordinary men and women, field doctors, nurses, and ambulance drivers, and the soldiers, sailors, and fighter pilots - some died, some were wounded, some were taken prisoner, and some were heroes. Pictures of these individuals are included in the book. As the story moves between the home front and the front lines, the destruction, hopelessness and elation, and the staggering losses, not only of the military, their horses and pack animals, but of the general populations who stood in the way of the war machine are exposed. The ground war was fought in the trenches which became home to the soldiers, a place to live and die, where they endured illness, mustard gas, bayonets, and shelling. Sailors languished on ships at sea waiting for action. Fighter pilots took to the skies in flimsy aircraft not fit to leave the ground. Food and supplies were often scarce, communication was poor, weaponry was cumbersome and faulty, and morale was low. The conflict became a daily tug of war of "advance and retreat", and lasted longer than anyone had anticipated. The book does not attempt to examine the war or dissect it, but simply tells the story of what it was like, the everyday aspects of the war from those who lived it!
This title is part of a new nonfiction series called "Life's Challenges" and offers a basic overview of what children can expect when their parents divorce. The book is suitable for reading aloud, and would serve as a good starting point for discussion of separation and visitation arrangements.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by connectivity? Have gadgets taken over your household? Do you ever wish for just five minutes of unplugged time? Then you have to read this book! Goodnight, iPad is a parody of Goodnight Moon, and it is quite entertaining for children and adults alike. The family elder decides that she is fed up with the electronic gadgetry that is keeping her children and grandchildren occupied. So, she starts eliminating devices, beginning with the iPad. Of course, her actions are met with protests, and readers can't help but smile as they try to imagine life without cell phones, computers, and handheld games. Rapper Eminem gets a brief mention, making this a thoroughly modern parody.
Secret libraries, antiquarian books and unrelenting investigators intertwine in this narrative to create a gothic tale of mystery and adventure. Daniel Sempere is taken by his father to the “Cemetery of Forgotten Books” where, as a rite of passage, he selects one book to love and protect from obscurity. Daniel picks The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax, and after reading the novel, his quest to find any novel by Carax is thwarted by a mysterious person who is dedicated to burning each and every copy of any book ever written by Carax. With the help of an investigator, Fermin Romero de Torres, Daniel strives to lift the veil from Carax’s life, which leads him to discover the forbidden romance at the heart of Carax’s demise.
In this beautiful tale, the reader is transported to Franco’s Barcelona, Spain circa 1950. As Daniel grows into a young man, his view of the world gradually becomes more complex during his pursuit to uncover the fate of the author of the book he has sworn to protect.
There are some strange people in this world, and sixteen year old Jacob is one of them. So is his grandfather. The two men have always been close. When a tragedy strikes the family, Jacob decides it is his responsibility to seek answers to some long buried family mysteries and restore honor to the family name. He wants to learn more about his grandfather, and who he was as a child. Unfortunately, his visit to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children leaves him with more questions than answers. What kind of a man was Jacob's grandfather, and how did he become involved with children whose behaviors seem extremely odd?
This book features several vintage photographs that add an extra dimension to the story and leave readers scrambling to turn the pages!
I read the picture book, "The Biggest Thing in the World", when I was looking for books to read for story time with young children. I would definitely recommend this book as a read aloud for children, ages 3-5. This book could be read from a parent to child to talk about how much parents love their children, or it could be read in the classroom to talk about topics such as hibernation, size, or nature. Another reason to read, "The Biggest Thing in the world is becasue of it's illustrations. The pages in the book are filled with big, colorful, warm, and inviting pictures.
In 1992, 16 year old Amy Fisher shot her 36 year old boyfriend's wife. She became known as the "Long Island Lolita" who chased after Joey Buttafuoco and who tried to free him of his wife. In this book, thirty year old, Amy tells her story the way she wants it to be known. The tabloids and made for TV movies were not her stories, but were fabricated by the press, by writers and, by "friends" who wanted their 15 minutes of fame and a few hundred dollars. She spent 7 years in adult prison for her deed. Joey, who denied any involvement with the "obsessed teen", couldn't hide the motel and fancy restaurant receipts forever. When the police discovered that Joey had had an adult relationship with the teen, the justice system gave Joey 6 months in jail. Amy contends that if the same thing happened today, Joey would be tried as a child molester and punishment would have been much more severe for him; possibly less severe for her. As Amy tells her story, she reveals the horrors of prison life and the betrayal of attorneys who saw her as a way to make media deals. She explains how she went from being an obedient, problem-free child, to a rule-breaking, attention seeking teen. As you read, you will have to decide for yourself how much accountability should be assigned to Amy and to Joey and if the situation could have been prevented if...Amy had known then what she knows now.
Maggie Finley has issues, but people close to her are willing to overlook them. They know she has abandonment issues from her father's desertion when she was a child. They know she is still suffering over the death of her first child. They know she is missing her high-powered career. Finally, they know she is pregnant again and her hormones are out of control. When Maggie decides she needs to create a safe haven for herself, her unborn child and her friends, she resurrects the old Neighborhood Watch in her small town that is mostly concerned with litterbugs and soap bubbles being put into the park fountain. Maggie means business and when she discovers a potential criminal is living in the neighborhood, she begins late night bicycle trips in her pajamas to let the guy know he's not wanted in her town. While the possibility of criminals in a neighborhood is serious, Maggie goes off the deep end in her concern and she learns that she should arm herself with facts first instead of a bottle of bleach and a few eggs.
Little does Nina Revskaya realize that the consignment of her jewelry, including an amber bracelet and earrings, to a Boston auction house will open the door to her past as a Russian ballerina with the Bolshoi during Stalinist aggression, a past she has tried to forget. When an amber necklace that appears to match Nina’s bracelet and earrings is also consigned anonymously, an inquisitive Boston auction house associate, Drew Brooks, begins a search for the origins of the amber jewelry. Her search leads her to Grigori Solodin, a professor of Russian, who believes his past is tied to Nina and the amber jewelry. Interweaving past and present, Nina’s former life in Russia comes to light.
Part WWII love story, part coming-of-age fiction, this book will appeal to several different audiences. Jacob, 17, visits Amsterdam to honor his grandfather who died during WWII. During his trip, he meets individuals who cared for his grandfather and learns valuable lessons about love and loss. The author does an excellent job of retelling the events from two perspectives. Contemporary fans will find themselves rooting for Jacob as he explores the world around him. Historical fiction fans will appreciate the character Geertrui and her insights into the WWII era. This is not a light read, instead it is a thought-provoking novel that makes the reader examine complex issues.
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