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Featured Book Review
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The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick |
Do you like to read but also enjoy beautiful black and white illustrations? Have you made your acquaintance with the graphic novel? The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a Caldecott Award winning hybrid of text and graphic illustration and a wonderful introduction to this rapidly growing and increasingly important literary influence. This lovely book combines text, silent movie stills and black and white graphic representations to tell the story of Hugo, an orphaned boy living in... >> Read more |
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The Wednesday Sisters Meg Waite Clayton |
Amid the backdrop of the turbulent 1960's, five women living in Palo Alto forge lifetime friendships throughout the political, social, and cultural changes, as well as their own personal struggles and triumphs. Their friendships begin in the neighborhood park, where they eventually move from pleasant banter about husbands, homes, and children to discovering mutual interests, shared visions, and individual desires. Linda has the look of the quintessential California girl,... >> Read more |
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The Girl Who Fell From the Sky Heidi Durrow |
Rachel never thought of herself as black or white. In her home, she was always just Rachel. Now, at eleven years old, she’s been uprooted from her life in Chicago and sent to live with her paternal grandmother in Portland. Divided between the memory of her Danish mother and the African-American world of her father’s family in which she has been immersed, Rachel struggles with her uncertain identity as "the new girl." Her light skin and blue eyes set her apart at her mostly black school,... >> Read more |
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The Blessing Way Tony Hillerman |
The body of a young man suffocated with sand is found on the Navajo Reservation in the Four Corners area of Arizona. Sightings of a witch who becomes a wolf are reported. Two archeologists disappear and sheep housed in a secure pen are mysteriously killed. Lt. Joe Leaphorn, a tribal policeman, must use his knowledge of native beliefs as well as his police training to solve the crimes. Though he is Navajo and was raised on the Reservation, he is considered a "Blue Uniform" and is... >> Read more |
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Bliss to You: Trixie's Guide to a Happy Life Dean Koontz |
Best-selling author Dean Koontz is famous for his science fiction, horror and fantasy writing, but in Bliss to You: Trixie's Guide to a Happy Life, he defers to his beloved, deceased dog Trixie by serving as editor of her advice on how to lead a happy life. |
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In the Heart of the Canyon Elisabeth Hyde |
JT Maroney, 52, is river guide on the Colorado River and completed 125 tours during the course of his career. His latest tour group of twelve includes a couple in their 70’s, an obese teenager named Amy, a young family of four and history know-it-all Mitchell, who wants to upstage JT. The author gives the reader a glimpse into the thoughts of JT and the group members. Excerpts from Amy’s journal open selected chapters, and the narrative flashes back to the elderly... >> Read more |
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The Eleventh Man Ivan Doig |
Author Ivan Doig takes readers on a fascinating voyage through two years of World War II, as seen through the eyes of Ben Reinking, quarterback of Treasure State University's undefeated "Supreme Team". As Ben follows in the footsteps of his 10 teammates reporting on their adventures, triumphs and loss, he searches for purpose in his life, always wondering what might happen to that life if the odds don't go his way. Although the action occurs during WWII, this book is... >> Read more |
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Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe |
From the spine-tingling horror of The Tell-Tale Heart and The Masque of the Red Death to the haunting echo of The Raven, this classic compilation includes all your favorite tales and poems by Edgar Allan Poe. Be sure to read The Gold Bug, a story of buried treasure set on Sullivan's Island, SC. The brief introduction provides a concise overview of the author's tragic life and mysterious death, which is... >> Read more |
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The Richest Season Maryann McFadden |
Joanna, a corporate wife, is weary of the frequent moves her family makes to accomodate her husband’s career ladder. At 46, with an empty nest, she decides during her morning jog to leave New Jersey. She drives to Pawleys Island and accepts a live-in companion position with an elderly widow, Grace. Grace asks Joanna to stay on for six months, but does not reveal a secret that she is also hiding from her own family. The seasonal life of Pawleys Island... >> Read more |
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When You Are Engulfed in Flames David Sedaris |
Take a peek into David Sedaris's wacky mind in his sixth book of essays, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. This latest installment will delight those who have already discovered his quick-witted and often biting humor, and will be a great introduction to those who have yet to discover him. As usual, fans of Sedaris will recognize several of the essays in the book, as they have been previously published in The New Yorker, or featured on the radio show "This American Life" -... >> Read more |
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The Book Thief Markus Zusak |
Set in World War II Germany and narrated by Death himself, The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, a 9-year-old orphan. Rosa and Hans Hubermann, Liesel’s foster parents, teach her to love and to trust. Hans teaches her to read from her first treasure, The Grave Digger’s Handbook, a book she found at her brother’s funeral. Together, they shelter a young Jewish man, Max Vandenburg, from whom Liesel learns perseverance... >> Read more |
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Zorro: A Novel Isabel Allende |
Have you ever wondered what your favorite hero or heroine was like growing up? Celebrated historical fiction author Isabel Allende envisions the development of Spanish-American legend Zorro in this swashbuckling tale of adventure. Allende, author of historical sagas including Portrait in Sepia and Daughter of Fortune, traces the larger-than-life figure from his origins as Diego de la Vega, born in 18th century California to a Spanish military man and a beautiful Native American... >> Read more |
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