Outside of a Dog, #69

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

It’s getting cold outside in Michigan, even though it’s been Fall since September. While we still have a few days left of sunshine and 50-degree days, check out one of these Michigan-set novels; come back for more before you hide under your blankets for winter!

Please Don’t Come Back from the Moon – Dean Bakopoulos

Written an “an elegy” to the working class men of Detroit (and America) in this quiet, almost heartbreaking novel of growing up without a father. Building a family in Michigan is the theme here, and there’s more than a few biographical touches to this tale, as well as threads of magical realism.

Fic Bakopoulos WCV WDB

Mr. Paradise – Elmore Leonard

Famous the world over for gritty noir novels, Elmore Leonard is a New-Orleans-born Michigan native who lives in Oakland County. This novel of crime gone wrong involves a high-priced call girl, authentic dialogue and places (the very first chapter places the protagonist at the posh Rattlesnake Club restaurant), and a satisfying murder mystery.

Fic Leonard WCV WDB WAM

BKD Fic Leonard WCV

CD Fic Leonard WDB

Poison Blonde (An Amos Walker novel) – Loren Estleman

Classic cars and classic clothes are hallmarks of Amos Walker novels. Written for fans of 40s and 50s noir, this 19-book series by native Estleman hits these private detective stories right on the nose, where classy dames and real gone hipsters abound. Set in Detroit’s backyard of Hamtramck, this is the 17^th book in the series. If you want to start at the beginning, try 1980’s Motor City Blue.

LT Mys Estleman WCV WMB

Fic Estleman WDB

[Motor City Blue – Fic Estleman WMB]

A Stolen Season (An Alex McKnight Mystery) – Steve Hamilton

Winner of both the Edgar and Shamus awards for mystery and private eye novels, respectively, Hamilton is another local talent who turns his eyes to whodunits in Michigan – usually in the cold upper regions of the state. In this Alex McKnight novel (the seventh – and newest - in the series), plot crossovers and double-crosses surround the ex-cop while he deals with Bay Mills Indians and drug dealers.

Fic Hamilton WCV WAM WDB

The Chocolate Cat Caper (A Chocoholic Mystery) – Joanna Carl (a.k.a. Eve Sandstrom)

Michigan seems to be a popular place to set series mysteries – such as these Chocoholic books, featuring Texan Lee McKinney, who moves up to a Michigan resort town on the lake to help her Aunt Nettie’s chocolate business get back up and running. Lee and Nettie end up accidentally solving mysteries in this fictional resort town, and all of the mysteries involve chocolate! These are a good suggestion if you’ve finished the Joanne Fluke novels and are looking for more tasty page-turners.

Mys Carl RAY RSV SCS

Fic Carl MTC ROK

For kids who want some local fun, try the Michigan Chillers series by Jonathan Rand – featuring titles like Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit and Poltergeists of Petoskey.

Juv PBK MC WCV WAM WDB WMB

Outside of a Dog, #68

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

A recent post suggested book titles dealing with some of the many aspects of friendship. Interested in watching a movie with a friendship theme? Here are some old and new suggestions. Reminiscent of the so called “buddy” movie, each of these movies views the process of friendship in its own unique and special way.

For Women ("Chick Flicks"):

Beaches CHE HPW
Bonneville MTC ROG RSV
Fried Green Tomatoes ARM ROG ROK SHL WCV RSV SHL UPL
Friends With Money WCV CHE CLL EPL HPW LEN MTC ROG RSV SBL SCS WAM WDB
Jane Austen Book Club WCV ARM CHE CLL FRA LEN MPL MTC ROG RSV UPL WAM
My Best Friend's Wedding CHE CLL MTC ROG
Mystic Pizza WAM RSV MTC ROG
Sex and the City FRA RAY HPW ROG WAM SCS CHE CLL EPL LEN MTC UPL WMB WAM
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants ARM CLL LEN LWM ROG ROK SCS SHL WDB WMB FRA CHE HPW MTC RSV UPL WAM
Steel Magnolias FRA HPW RSV SBL
The Banger Sisters WCV CHE EPL MPL WAM WMB WDB
The Women WCV ARM CHE CLL EPL MTC MPL ROG RSV SCS UPL WDB WMB
Thelma and Louise UPL WAM WMB WDB SBL MTC SHL ROG SBL CHE HPW RSV
Waiting to Exhale LEN SBL
Waitress EPL LEN LWM SCS SHL WAM WDB WMB WCV CHE FRA HPW MPL RSV UPL

For Men (Buddy Movies):

Appaloosa WCV CHE CLL EPL FRA LEN MTC MPL ROG RSV SBL SCS UPL WMB
Breaking Away CHE FRA MTC ROG RSV SBL SHL
Brokeback Mountain MPL SBL SHL WDB WCV CHE CLL FRA MTC ROG ROK RSV SCS SHL UPL
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid WCV ARM MTC ROG UPL CHE CLL FRA LWM ROK RSV SBL SHL
Diner MTC ROG SHL
Good Will Hunting CLL FRA MTC ROG RSV SHL CHE
Grumpy Old Men ARM CHE FRA MTC ROG UPL
Lethal Weapon CLL RSV CHE MTC ROG SBL
Midnight Cowboy ROG SCS WCV CHE CLL HPW MTC ROK RSV SBL SHL
My Dinner With Andre SHL
Mystic River FRA WCV LEN LWM MTC ROG SBL SCS UPL WDB WMB
The Kite Runner UPL WCV WAM WDB WMB ARM CHE CLL RAY EPL HPW LEN LWM MTC MPL SCS SHL
The Odd Couple CHE
The Shawshank Redemption WCV UPL CLL ROG CHE FRA MTC ROK SBL
The Soloist WCV ARM CHE CLL EPL FRA LEN MTC MPL ROG RSV SCS UPL WAM WDB WMB

Outside of a Dog, #67

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

Several old clichés come to mind when you think about friendship including “make new friends but keep the old”, “no one can have too many friends”, and “with friends like that, who needs enemies”. In the interest of discovering more about the concept or subject of friends we selected the following titles.

The Art of Friendship: 70 Simple Rules for Making Meaningful Connections - Richard Horchow

This book of rules and advice are offered with the goal of making real and lasting friendships. These true friendships can enhance and enrich each of our lives in many ways.

177.62 H WCV WAM

Toxic Friends: The Antidote for Women Stuck in Complicated Friendships - Susan Shapiro Barash

What to do if your friends are not so wonderful but rather hurtful, unkind, nasty, and, yes, even toxic to your mental health and well being.

155.333 Bar MPL MTC

If Teacups Could Talk: Sharing a Cup of Kindness with Treasured Friends - Emilie Barnes

A feel good little book detailing how important it can be to share time and tea with valued friends.

641.5 B WCV

I Know Just What You Mean: The Power of Friendship in Women’s Lives - Patricia O'Brien and Ellen Goodman

After more than 25 years of friendship, Ellen and Patricia share their own stories as well as other stories about the importance of long time friendships.

158.25 G WCV WAM

Read this book on Purpose!

Today’s Book: American on Purpose: the improbable adventures of an unlikely patriot, by Craig Ferguson

The plot: The subtitle of this witty autobiography is “the improbable adventures of an unlikely patriot,” and that only just begins to describe this hilarious, honest story of Glaswegian Ferguson and his epic trip to becoming an American citizen. Starting as a Glasgow native with a punk-rock soul, the now-famous late-night host waxes poetic on his "ridiculously attractive" parents and tells the hard, forthright truth about being a drunk and a drug addict for chunks of his life, and how he, with the help of friends, managed to rise above it, raise a son, and become the rollicking and uproarious comedian he is today - all while chasing the dream of being an American (on purpose).

Why You’ll Love It: If you're already a fan of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, you don't need any more reason than his nightly shenanigans to pick up this book. If you don't stay up late, or never watched The Drew Carey Show, you'll love this book for the laughter it will inspire in you; it's full of read-aloud quips, like when he speaks of his late-night-show colleagues and predecessor Johnny Carson: "A little bit of cool goes a long way; it lands on you if you are a late-night talk-show host. Consider the other guys: if Dave (Letterman) wasn't the king of late night he'd be just a cranky old man who drives too fast. Jay (Leno) would be a weirdly needy mechanic, and Conan (O'Brien) would have kids following him down the street calling him names. Without his show, Jimmy Fallon is just a thirty-five-year-old giggly adolescent; and Jimmy Kimmel is a good guy, but he'd be the first to admit he's not cool - in another life, he'd be a genial maître d'."

Who Will/Should Read It: Fans of Ferguson's turns on The Drew Carey Show as British boss Nigel Wick, of the host of the Late Late Show, or his favorite movies (written and starring him) - Saving Grace, The Big Tease, and I'll Be There, or anyone who enjoys a good laugh while reading a story of growing up Glaswegian and striving for the states. Also, as Ferguson mentions a few times in the book, those who "choose adventure."

Bio Ferguson WCV WMB

B Ferguson ROG SBL CHE

[Saving Grace is available at Warren Civic Center library on DVD and at Roseville and Shelby Township on VHS. The Big Tease is only available through Melcat requests, and I'll Be There can be ordered from Lenox Township and Roseville.]

Soon to be available as an audiobook read by the author!

Outside of a Dog, #66

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

Following up our recent post on suggested website gems, we couldn’t resist offering some book-specific websites that offer a variety of support to avid readers everywhere. Selected are websites that librarians love and we hope you, too, will find very useful.

Readers Read – Devoted more to book and publishing news than title suggestions, it’s a worthwhile spot to "check out" if you’re interested in book trends and insider publishing news. An exhaustive list of book blogging links is offered.

Shelf Awareness – A free e-mail newsletter dedicated to helping the people in bookstores, public libraries and those working on the Internet buy, sell, and lend books most wisely. If you want to know what authors will be on NPR, Oprah, Larry King, and many other media outlets, this site will tell you. Also, a fun part of being on their e-mail list is the contests that publishing companies and authors often run.

Generous Books – A growing community for those who love books and love sharing their thoughts with other readers.

Book Muse – Commentary, author biographies and interviews, and loads of reading suggestions make this a useful site for the more literary minded reader.

Last but not least, don’t forget publishing company websites. They often offer free newsletter links that can keep you up to date on favorite titles and authors. A few of the larger publishers include –

Avon Books (an imprint of Harper Collins, specializing in women's literature and romance)

Simon and Schuster (They currently publish Vince Flynn, Sandra Brown, and more!)

Random House(Publishers of the new Dan Brown book "The Lost Symbol" and a host of entertainment biographies, like Kathy Griffin and Tracy Morgan)

Harper Collins (Publishing the PostSecret books and one of our favorites - Neil Gaiman; they also have e-mail lists for children's books and teens)

Penguin (Home of Patricia Cornwell, Charlaine Harris, and John Sandford; they have podcasts every week about new and exciting book selections)

Kensington Books (A great place to find your favorite mystery series writers, like Joanne Fluke and G.A. McKevett, as well as urban lit up-and-comers Kimberla Lawson Roby and Wahida Clark)

What's the Suburban Library Cooperative?

Warren Public Library is a member of the Suburban Library Cooperative, an association of Macomb County libraries (which also includes Harper Woods). Since we're members of the SLC, we can request books and movies and many other items from any library in the system - for free! You can also use your Warren Public Library card at any library in the cooperative, too, so if you're ever out in Shelby Township, you can visit their library with your card.

What do all the letters in the Outside of a Dog posts mean?
These are abbreviations of the libraries included in the system. There's is a short list below, but you can view (and print!) the full list, with addresses and phone numbers here.
ARM - Armada
CLL - Centerline
CHE - Chesterfield
EPL - Eastpointe
FRA - Fraser
HPW - Harper Woods
LEN - Lenox Township
LWM - Lois Wagner Memorial (Richmond)
MPL - MacDonald (New Baltimore)
MTC - Mount Clemens
RAY - Ray Township
ROG - Romeo Graubner
ROK - Romeo Kezar
RSV - Roseville
SCS - St. Clair Shores
SBL - Shelby Township
SHL - Sterling Heights
UPL - Utica
WMB - Warren (Maybelle Burnette)
WDB - Warren (Dorothy Busch)
WAM - Warren (Arthur Miller)
WCV - Warren (Civic Center)

Outside of a Dog, #65

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

It’s always a treat to discover a new and useful website. The internet offers so much and so many, it is often easier just to rely on old standbys, but you’d be missing some real gems. Here are a few that you might just want to consider bookmarking the next time you're surfing.

Discover America
As the “official” travel and tourism website of the United States, I honestly can’t think of any place, topic, or travel information it doesn’t offer, including allowing you to search by destination, state, attraction, and find other travel organizations and links. A definite first stop when planning any journey that takes you farther than your own backyard.

Book Club Girl
Not strictly for girls, this is a great site to browse for a variety of reading suggestions, even if you’re not in a book club. Including author information, links to book clubs, book blogs, and author websites, you’ll never again wonder what to read next.

USA.gov
The tag is “government made easy” and it does do a pretty decent job of leading you through whatever government agency, department, or question you might need to research. Everything from financial aid, passport information, addresses of elected officials, currency exchange rates, zip code lookup, and much much more is offered. It also has links to state and local governments.

Ravelry
Ravelry is a knit and crochet community that is rivaled by no other. You do have to register, but don’t worry - it's free! Afterwards you can check out an endless list of free patterns, projects, and needlecraft links. But beware - you might find yourself so addicted to this site that you’ll have less time to actually pick up that crochet hook or knitting needle.

What They Play
If you're a parent of a tech-savvy kid today, you'll notice that video games are one of the biggest "I want that!" items on wish lists. What They Play gives you parent reviews and screenshots (photos of in-game activity) and sometimes videos of the most popular games, so you know what your kids are asking for.

Spread the Sign
The sign language dictionary of the world is live and is it ever a great resource! You can type in any word, number, or even a full sentence, and this search site will help you learn how to sign it - in ASL (American Sign Language), and sign language in Czech, German, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish!

Flag Identifier
This is the place to go when you see a flag and you don't know what country it symbolizes. Flag Identifier lets you search by the style of flag, what colors it is, or just what symbols were on it. It includes world flags, state flags, and more.

Outside of a Dog, #64

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

As promised, now that you're bopping to the groove of great jazz music, tune your brain to one of these books to find out more...

Jazz by Walter Dean Myers

A series of love poems to the music, this kids' book is great for adults, too, bringing to mind the swinging Harlem-Renaissance poetry of Langston Hughes.

JUV 781.65 M WAM

Visions of Jazz: The First Century by Gary Giddins

This is a big book, to be sure, but well worth picking up, especially if you're curious as to how Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker got their nicknames. Seventy-nine chapters are in this labor of love by the Village Voice music critic Giddins, and each one takes you in-depth about a famed jazz musician, and includes some insight into pop musicians who sometimes sing jazz, like Rosemary Clooney and Frank Sinatra.

781.65 G WDB

The Billboard illustrated encyclopedia of jazz & blues by Ted Drozdowski

Billboard is one of the best-known music magazines worldwide, making and publishing lists of hot music in almost any genre you can imagine, so it's no wonder that an encyclopedia by them is a fantastic resource for history and photos. This is a reference book only, though, so you'll have to look at it in the library; you can't take it home with you.

REF 781.65 B WCV

John Coltrane: A sound supreme by John W. Selfridge

It's never too early to get your kids listening to great music, and learning about the most famous artists. "A sound supreme" is a short biography for kids of all ages that details the life of saxophonist John Coltrane, now known for the complex harmonies in songs like "Giant Steps."

JBiog Coltrane WMB

Outside of a Dog, #63

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

The classic period for jazz music occurred back in the mid-50's to the mid-60's. some of the musical icons of that era included Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, and Duke Ellington. Below is a listing of several musical selections available at Macomb County libraries.

The best of Chet Baker Plays - Chet Baker
CD Jazz Baker WAM

Miles Smiles - Miles Davis
CD Jazz Miles SHL

The Drum Battle - Buddy Rich
CD Jazz Drum MTC

Dave Brubeck's Greatest Hits - Dave Brubeck
CD Jazz 1391 WDB

Charlie Parker Plays Standards - Charlie Parker
CD Jazz Parker WCV

The Symphonic Ellington - Duke Ellington
CD Jazz Ellington WCV

The Very Best of John Coltrane - John Coltrane
CD Jazz Coltrane WCV

And if you're interested about life behind the scenes of this famous music scene, next week, we'll feature some books on the jazz life.

Outside of a Dog, #62

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

It’s back to school and that means one thing – Homework. The following books and audio visual material offer a little help and advice in that area, so you won’t have to be caught saying “but the dog ate my homework”.

How to do homework without throwing up by Trevor Romain

Mr. Romain who has a slew of DVD’s and books to his credit gives us a 30 minute DVD that makes homework look pretty darn exciting as 2 students jump off the page into the Amazon jungle to learn some new homework skills. Fun and definitely lighthearted. Also available in book format.

Juv 371.3028R WCV

Homework improvement: Parent resource by Roberta Schneiderman

You’ll learn how to help and support your child with their homework without doing the assignment for them.

649.68S – WCV

Juv 371.3S – WAM

How to remember everything: Memory shortcuts to help you study smarter by Ellen Gibson

Specifically aimed at grades 6^th through 8^th this book focuses on comprehension in all areas.

Juv 371.3G WCV

How to write book reports by Harry Teitelbaum

Everyone’s had to do this something or other in their school career. Not really as difficult as it sounds when you follow some basic guidelines. Of course, it helps to have read and even enjoyed the book.

808.02T – WCV

Remember: The sooner you come to the library to get the books on your research paper or Accelerated Reader or AP English list, the better! It's much easier to get your books the first week of an assignment, instead of the last; your classmates might have checked them all out already. (Also keep in mind that it takes 3-5 business days to get a book shipped from another library - don't put your homework off til the last minute!)

Outside of a Dog, #61

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

Health Care – An issue that has taken the political center stage recently, health coverage of is of vital interest to each of us. The following titles offer a variety of viewpoints and suggestions to discover and learn more about the issue.

Critical Condition: How health care in America became big business and bad medicine by Donald L. Barlett and James B Steele

Time magazine journalists, Barlett and Steele give readers a definitive explanation of our current U.S. health care system as well as including an informative and detailed historical perspective how we got here in the first place.

362.1 B WCV

Critical: What we can do about the health-care crisis by Thomas Daschle

Senator Daschle gives voice to solving the complex medical care issues and economic factors that influence our fast-rising health care costs.

362.1 D WCV

The healing of America: A global quest for a better, cheaper, and fairer health care by T.R. Reid

Health care systems around the world are explored in this comprehensive look at why the United States spends more but still is not able to adequately insure all its citizens.

362 R WCV

Health care on less than you think: The New York Times' guide to getting affordable coverage

by Fred Brock
How to manage your family's health care costs and maximize their care.
362.106 B WAM

The new health insurance solution : how to get cheaper, better coverage without a traditional employer plan by Paul Zane Pilzer
Most Americans receive and lose their health insurance along with their jobs and employers. But what about those who get no insurance through their employers, make too much for Medicaid benefits, or are unemployed? This book can help!
368.382 P WAM

NEW! Career Library Database

Looking for a career for the first time, or even giving it a second try? Want to research on what you'd be best at, and what colleges and programs would be best for you?

Try the NEW Career Library Database!

It allows you to take assessment tests of your skills and "career clusters," as well as helping you find the programs and colleges that are right for you!

Go to: http://library.coin3.com/

and log in with the information below.

Site ID: trialmi

Login: 4211033

Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Love Your Librarian? Let Them Know!

Last year, the New York Times, in a partnership with the American Library Association, and the Carnegie Corporation, presented the I Love My Librarian award for the first time. 10 librarians from across the states won the award, and the Times is doing it again! Check out the link below for more details.

Nominate your librarian today for the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award!

Outside of a Dog, #60

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

Here at the Civic Center Library, we have a few regular patrons who love to read biographies. The most popular and juicy ones, of course, are famous film stars! Here’s a few of our favorite classic film stars’ biographies:

It’s Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock, a personal biography – Charlotte Chandler

Most anyone who’s seen the silhouette and heard the creepy tinkling piano music knows who Alfred Hitchcock was, and they know to expect suspense, murder, and mystery along the way. Here, biographer Chandler interviews many colleagues and family members to try to learn what no one seemed to know about the venerable director.

Bio Hitchcock WMB

Psycho [DVD] – Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh

Possibly Hitchcock’s most famously terrifying movie. When it was released in 1960, Hitchcock refused to allow theatergoers late admission!

DVD Fic Bloch WCV

DVD P14 WAM

Audrey Hepburn: an elegant spirit – Sean Ferrer Hepburn

As characters Eliza Doolittle and Holly Golightly, Hepburn made a mark on the world as a gorgeous, classy film star. In this recent biography, her son writes about his remembrance of the actress.

Bio Hepburn WCV

Biog Hepburn WAM

Roman Holiday [DVD] – Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert

Of course you recognize the little black dress of Holly Golightly, and the intricately beaded white gown from My Fair Lady; but do you remember seeing Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann? In her first movie, she plays a princess who sneaks away from her duties for a few days, just to see how the other half lives. Handsome co-star Gregory Peck plays a shrewd gambler working for a news service in Rome; will he keep Ann’s secret?

DVD 791.43 Roman WCV

Marilyn Monroe – Barbara Leaming

In contrast to other biographies of the famous and torrid leading lady, Leaming’s effort paints Monroe as a more sympathetic figure. She includes private love letters from some of Marilyn’s family, husbands, and lovers, as well as interviews the famous and not so famous companions Monroe kept.

Bio Monroe WDB

The Misfits [DVD] – Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift

One of Monroe’s last films, here she plays a divorcee on a Nevada ranch. She meets up with neighbors who fall in love with her, and things get a little wild.

DVD Misfits WAM

Golden Boy: the untold story of William Holden – Bob Thomas

William Holden acted in a number of famous films like Sunset Boulevard and Stalag 17, even while serving with the Air Force during World War II. This book is a heartfelt tribute to the actor, who eventually died of a fall in his apartment when he was 63.

Bio Holden WCV

Sabrina [DVD] – Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden

While Bogart and Hepburn are the big names here, Holden plays an integral role as playboy David Larrabee, whom the titular Sabrina falls for. (This was remade in 1995 with Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond, and Greg Kinnear.)

DVD 791.43 Sabrina WCV

Outside of a Dog, #59

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

Show Your Library Love!

What would you do without your librarian? These books, and many more, feature the fact-finding heroes and heroines as lead characters!

A Bone to Pick – Charlaine Harris

While Harris is now widely known and regarded as one of the best talents in vampire fiction (with the Sookie Stackhouse books giving rise to the explicit HBO show “True Blood”), she once wrote a few other series, too, including these, the Aurora Teagarden mysteries. If you like her writing style, but have gone through the Sookie books (or prefer your mysteries with a little less ‘bite,’ try this on for size.

Mys Pbk Har WCV WMB

The Collectors – David Baldacci

Set among Baldacci’s other Camel Club mystery-thrillers, The Collectors delves into the dangerous world of rare-book collectors. Here, the Library of Congress’ rare books and special collections director drops dead after reading a manuscript, it’s to ex-CIA agent Caleb Shaw to find out why – and who – done it.

Fic Baldacci WCV WMB WDB WAM

BKD Fic Baldacci WMB WAM/ CD Fic Baldacci WDB

The Camel Bookmobile – Masha Hamilton

Fiona, the novel’s protagonist, wants to do something good and meaningful with her life. She sets off for the bush of northeastern Kenya, intent on getting classic books like Shakespeare and Dr. Seuss into the hands (and minds) of those less fortunate. However, Fi finds herself in the middle of traditionalist ways and modern wants.

Fic Hamilton WCV

Rex Libris: I, Librarian – James Turner

Librarians in comic books? Bet you’d never guess that hero Rex, black and white all over, solves library conundrums and does interplanetary travel at the behest of his boss, the ancient god Thoth. While Rex totes a gun and combat skills, he also knows where to find the book that tells how to defeat a samurai warlord – as that warlord is threatening to decapitate him! Funny, even for those of us who aren’t in the profession.

Y 741.5973 T SCS

The Ice Queen – Alice Hoffman

Hoffman, author of Practical Magic, The Blue Diary, Incantation, and other works starring smart women, shows us here the life of lonely librarian, struck by lightning and fenced off from the rest of the world. The narrator is never formally named, but her story is complex and twisting, both in words and heart.

Fic Hoffman WCV WDB

LT Fic Hoffman WMB

Outside of a Dog, #58

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

Since we celebrated sisters last week, this week, we’re looking at brotherly love.

Savvy – Ingrid Law

Mibs Beaumont has two brothers – one can cause hurricanes, and one can spark electricity. Her mother is perfect – literally. When she turns 13, she should be able to figure out what her ‘savvy’ – her special power – is, just like the rest of her family. She wants it to be something amazing, like her brothers, but maybe it will be what her father – in a coma from a car accident – needs.

JFic Law WCV WMB WAM

BKD JFic Law WCV

Rules – Cynthia Lord

Catherine’s brother, David, is autistic, and sometimes, her parents put her in charge of him, even though she doesn’t want them to. She takes to art for an outlet, and fills sketchbooks with “rules” for her brother on how the world works – just so he knows, if she’s ever not around to take care of him.

JFic Lord WCV

BKD JFic Lord WCV

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie – David Lubar

Scott, a high school freshman, is trying to navigate the world of 9^th grade with too little sleep, less friends than he used to have, and crushes on girls who are now completely unattainable. Of course, now’s the time his mother announces she’s pregnant. He decides that life for his coming little brother will be easier if he has a survival guide – so Scott starts writing one.

YA Fic Lubar WCV WDB WAM

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius – Dave Eggers

With both of his parents dead from cancer when he’s only 22, Eggers tells here about having to raise his little brother Toph, who is only 8. While you might expect a story like this to be sad-but-true and woe-is-me, Eggers manages to keep the reader interested and not feeling sorry for him throughout.

Fic Eggers WCV

Bio Eggers WDB WMB WAM

The Millionaires – Brad Meltzer

Recently famous for his bestseller “The Book of Lies,” Meltzer here tells the story of two brother working for a high-rollers-only investment firm. Charlie and Oliver Caruso find there’s $3 million just sitting in an unused, untraceable bank account at the firm, and decide they can get away with stealing it. Overnight, it’s grown from 3 million to 300 million, and the Secret Service is after them!

Fic Pbk Mel WCV

Fic Meltzer WMB WDB WAM

If you’d like to dig into series books about brothers, try the Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, or the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series.

Outside of a Dog, #57

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.

In honor of a family birthday today, we're choosing books about sisters.

Just as Long as We're Together, Judy Blume
Sometimes it's not about the sisters you have, but the ones you make and keep that matter most. Judy Blume is a controversial author with books like "Are You There, God, It's Me, Margaret" and "Wifey," but in this 1987 teen classic, she strikes true with an involving story about old friends, new friends, and the families in between.
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Beezus and Ramona, Beverly Cleary
Of course we couldn't forget one of the most famous pairs of literary sisters! Ramona Quimby and her older sister Beatrice fight and get in trouble in turns, like most sisters do, but they're always there for each other when it counts.
Juv Pbk C WDB

My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult
It's almost impossible not to have heard of this book (and its new-in-theaters movie adaptation)! A small-town family must deal with a pair of sisters - one with a devastating disease, and the younger sister, born specifically to be a compatible organ donor. When the younger sister sues for the rights to her own body, will the family be torn apart by the verdict? [Be aware, moviegoers, the book's ending is very different from the movie.]
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House of Daughters, Sarah-Kate Lynch
By the author of the witty "Blessed are the Cheesemakers" and "By Bread Alone," comes another tale of the family food business, this time, set in Champagne, France. When vineyard heiress Clementine's father dies, he stipulates in his will that she must share the land with a half-sister she hasn't seen in twenty years. Worse yet, there's a man between the girls. Read this fantastic third novel if you enjoyed the first two, or if you're a fan of Joanne Harris' Chocolat.
Fic Lynch WCV

Outside of a Dog, #56

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx.


(We apologize for missing our "Outside of a Dog" column from last week.)

The anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing was on Monday, celebrating 40 years of scientific achievement. If you ever wanted to be an astronaut, or see the planets, try one of these books!

First man: the life of Neil A. Armstrong – James Hansen
Neil Armstrong, by his own account, was a man of no special talent or notice, but this biography, chronicling his life before, during, and after the Apollo mission gives a new look at a determined individual who is now a national hero.
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The first moon landing – Steve Kortenkamp
Kids who want to explore the first landing and the science behind it will find a great start in this book from the "First Facts" series.
Juv 629.454 K WCV

A man on the moon: the voyages of the Apollo astronauts – Andrew Chaikin
Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with the 24 men who have been on the moon since 1969, this book is an astonishingly in-depth view of what it means to touch another world.
629.454 C WAM

Moonshot: the flight of Apollo 11 – Brian Floca
This picture book, intended to help young children learn about the Apollo 11 mission, is full of gorgeous watercolors of the space flight and moon landing. It covers the event in detail that is perfect for your easy reader.
Juv 629.454 F WCV

We interrupt this broadcast: relive the events that stopped our lives—from the Hindenburg to the death of Princess Diana – Joe Garner
Something that has always drawn people of different backgrounds together is the question, "Where were you when...?" This book gathers 38 historical moments - including the moon landing - that people all over the world still talk about, from the point of the newscast onward.
070.915 G WAM