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Donovan's Bookshelf

June  2018 Prime Picks

 
Audiobooks
The Culinary Corner
Education Matters
History
Biography & Autobiography
New Age
Reviewer's Choice
Science Nature and Technology
Film, Stage & Television
Sizzling Social Issues
Arts and Crafts
Young Adult / Children
 

Audiobooks 

Highbridge Audio
www.highbridgeaudio.com 

Four new audio books are top recommendations for library lending collections, offering a combined superior package consisting of notable authors paired with effective, vivid narrators in a durable package that lends well to the rigors of library lending. 

Kelly Barnhill's Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories (9781684411603, $34.99) is narrated by John Lee, whose smooth voice brings to life a powerful gathering of nine stories about strange, different worlds. 

From a young man struggling with grief and sexuality who uses letter-writing to reach out to a beloved recipient to imagination which moves beyond its confinements and boundaries to become all too real, this gathering of eerie writings comes to life in audio and is especially recommended for audiences who look for the rare gem of short fiction that enters into the realm of eerie gothic writings. 

Laura Andersen's The Darkling Bride (9781684412886, $39.99) is narrated by Sarah-Jane Drummey whose voice perfectly captures the family drama of the Gallaghers, who have commanded a castle home for some seven centuries before its final resting place in the public domain. 

Add a couple's mysterious and violent deaths, a detective on a mission to find out the truth, and a series of incidents that revolve around the castle for a riveting blend of Gothic atmosphere and mystery that will keep readers completely enthralled. 

This is a sterling example of audio narration at its best. 

Terry Goodkind's The Girl in the Moon (9781684411108, $39.99) is read by Elisabeth Rodgers, who puts a fine spin on the story of Angela's rare ability. Angela has survived an abusive childhood, a mother who is a meth user, and adult pressures that robbed her of her childhood. 

Now she's leading a secret life because of her special ability to psychically identify killers. When a group of terrorists penetrates her carefully protected world, Angela discovers she may be the only one who can save herself. 

A riveting reading by Elisabeth Rodgers brings this vivid story to life. 

Karin Tidbeck's Jagannath Stories (9781684410705, $29.99) is narrated by Kristen Potter, whose smooth voice deftly captures the strange stories and world of Tidbeck, who specializes in literary speculative pieces unlike most other eerie reads. 

From a child born in a tin can to women who live beyond the constraints of time, these stories are revealing and thought-provoking literary pieces that come nicely to life in audio, promising hours of listening pleasure. 


The Culinary Corner

Grits to Glory
Joe Johnston
Pelican Publishing
9781455624034             $23.95
www.pelicanpub.com 

It should be cautioned that Grits to Glory: How Southern Cookin' Got So Good isn't your usual Southern recipe collection, but a vivid collection of descriptions, stories, quotes, and down-home history from Southerners who examine the roots of Southern cooking. 

Other books have been written about Southern culture and culinary history, but Grits to Glory pairs scholarship and research with a lively compilation of insights from a range of Southerners and includes fun sidebars of 'Porch Talk' details offering insights many more scholarly books won't include: "For poor folks who were desperate to feed a hungry family, almost any bird would do, and if nothing else, they would turn to crow. Nobody liked the taste of crow, and it was only served as a last resort." 

The result is as much a good cultural meal as it is a culinary survey of everything from mock turtle dishes to differences between Northern and Southern approaches to food. 


The Minimalist Kitchen
Melissa Coleman
Oxmoor House
9780848755263             $29.99
www.timeincbooks.com 

The Minimalist Kitchen: The Practical Art of Making More With Less is more than a cookbook: it's a way of life, embracing a philosophy of shopping, stocking a pantry, and producing meals that don't require a host of special methods or kitchen appliances. 

Where other cookbooks would rely on spiralizers, pressure cookers, food processes, and detailed prep instructions, The Minimalist Kitchen prepares its dishes with far less attention to complexity but no less attention to flavor. 

Thus, readers will find exceptionally easy a host of creations, from The Evergreen Frittata, made with summer vegetables and fresh herbs, to Chicken Pesto Sandwiches made from pesto, chicken, and cheese. 

The recipes excel in efficient techniques and basic tools, so busy cooks with little time and money still receive the opportunity to work with extraordinary flavors and fare with a minimum of fuss and expense. Add full-page color photos for a winningly delicious collection. 


Wild Honey & Rye
Ren Behan
Interlink Publishing
9781623719982             $30.00
www.interlinkbooks.com 

What makes a cookbook a standout with so many international cookbooks on the market today? For an example of high quality in comparison to others in its genre, take a look at Wild Honey & Rye: Modern Polish Recipes. 

The dishes featured within were inspired by the food of Ren Behan's childhood and today's modern Polish cuisine, but represent a departure from the usual Polish review of traditional dishes because she deliberately focuses on lighter, healthier versions of these dishes. 

Thus, anticipated classics such as pierogi dumplings, hearty stews and meats, and roasts receive healthier updates and variations. Full-page color photos accompany many of the dishes, but the star quality here lies in an approach that omits the usual sour cream and calorie-laden Polish fare with versions that don't sacrifice flavor, resulting in a mouth-watering display that is also virtually guilt-free. Wild Honey & Rye is very highly recommended for modern Polish cooks who want something ethnically solid, but different. 



Education Matters 

Corwin Press
www.corwin.com 

Two new education guides should be considered key picks for any educator's reference library, promising lasting value and proven techniques. 

The Blended Learning Blueprint for Elementary Teachers by Jayme Linton (9781544318639, $34.95) will reach K-5 teachers with its blueprint for teaching more effectively in blended school environments. 

From translating a teacher's personal strengths and designing blended learning approaches for the classroom to specific examples of various blended learning approaches that have proved successful, this survey of tools and processes is especially easy to access. 

Workbook fill-in pages, highlighted points, tips for maximizing classroom experiences, and black and white photos make for a user-friendly instructional even the busiest teacher will have time to digest. 

Nancy Akhavan's The Big Book of Literacy Tasks, Grades K-8: 75 Balanced Literacy Activities Students Do (Not You!)  (9781506389639, $33.95) is a primer for building student literacy and provides a plan to support independent student efforts. 

Seventy-five tasks in full color help teachers encourage independent student activities and learning approaches. The book arranges reading and writing tasks into three sections, crafting small lessons for approaching tasks a piece at a time, and provides teachers with a structure for managing these stages of achievement. 

Both are top recommendations that busy teachers will find accessible, satisfyingly specific, and well organized. 


History

1983
Taylor Downing
DaCapo Press
9780306921728             $28.00
www.dacapopress.com 

1983: Reagan, Andropov, and a World on the Brink tells of a dangerous world political climate that (many readers might not realize) was just as delicate as the Cuban Missile Crisis, and documents a dangerous era replete with war games, a Soviet fighter's shooting down of a Korean Airlines flight, Reagan's perception of the Soviet Union as "evil", and the Soviets' nervous response as they anticipated a nuclear attack. 

Hundreds of new documents just released by Freedom of Information requests contribute to a new view of how nuclear war loomed larger than ever in 1983 as a new Cold War rested on intelligence failures, misconceptions, and the jittery interactions between superpowers. 

No history or military collection should be without this thorough documentation of a hitherto-undisclosed era in which the world once again was posed on the brink of nuclear war.


 

Early Mapping of the Pacific
Thomas Suarez
Periplus
9780794608040             $19.99
www.tuttlepublishing.com 

Early Mapping of the Pacific: The Epic Story of Seafarers, Adventurers and Cartographers Who Mapped the Earth's Greatest Ocean may especially appeal to cartography collections, but is recommended for nautical and history holdings alike as it follows the explorers who mapped the world via sea. 

Little was actually known about the Pacific Ocean until the latter part of the eighteenth century, when European explorers began charting the world's oceans and producing fine nautical maps.  

An oversized presentation allows for good-sized color reproductions of many of these early maps, while accompanying discussion of everything from explorer challenges and mapping efforts to the publishers of sea-atlases in Europe provides a well-rounded history of individuals, companies, and the economic motivators of early data collection. 

The result is a highly recommended discussion for any history collection interested in the evolution of maps of the world. 


Biography & Autibiography 
 

Atticus Finch: The Biography
Joseph Crespino
Basic Books
9781541644946             $27.00
www.basicbooks.com 

Though Atticus Finch: The Biography appears well after the publication of Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman in 2015, it should become a classic biographical survey of the enigmatic and reclusive Lee's sources of inspiration, and is recommended reading for anyone who would pursue To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman with more than a light attention to literary background. 

Historical researcher Joseph Crespino uses original, unique sources to show how Lee's father Amasa Coleman Lee provided the wellspring of inspiration for her depiction of lawyer Atticus Finch. His survey considers Lee's opposition to mob rule in Alabama, his newspaper writings, and his fights for justice despite being a white moderate Southerner who wasn't particularly known for standing up for minority rights. 

How his attitude and perceptions translated to Lee's works makes for fascinating reading essential to understanding both of her books and their lasting impact, making Atticus Finch: The Biography an especially significant acquisition for high school to college-level holdings. 


Failure Is an Option
H. Jon Benjamin
Dutton
9781524742164             $26.00
www.penguinrandomhouse.com 

Failure Is an Option: An Attempted Memoir comes from one of the voices behind the TV productions Bob's Burgers and Archer, but it is as much a documentary about failure as it is about the author's eventual successes. It provides its readers with H. Jon Benjamin's life story and how he used his own failures in his life to move on to successes. 

Failure Is an Option documents a range of these experiences large and small, adding humor into the mix as Benjamin reviews the ironies and lessons learned from failures and points out why society tends to promote an avoidance of failure over how to learn from it. 

The result blends humor with thought-provoking messages backed by Benjamin's life experiences in an absorbing, funny, pointed memoir highly recommended not just for prior fans of Benjamin's achievements, but for anyone who would understand the roots of success and failure. 


I'm Just Happy to Be Here
Janelle Hanchett
Hachette Books
9780316503778             $26.00
www.hachettebooks.com 

I'm Just Happy to Be Here: A Memoir of Renegade Mothering presents motherhood as it's never been seen before, offering the quirky, funny, startlingly honest survey of a mother's addiction after she had children, and her ongoing struggle to be a mother even after she lost custody of them. 

Janelle Hanchett was pregnant at age twenty-one by a man she'd only known for three months, and decided to get married and grow into motherhood. Instead, she grew bored, drifted, and turned to alcohol for relief. 

Her story moves from addiction to eventual sobriety but also details a variety of influences on the perceptions and realities of motherhood which makes for a revealing, absorbing account. I'm Just Happy to Be Here will appeal to struggling young mothers and those interested in how motherhood is perceived, accepted, and managed. 


Lewis Hine
Timothy J. Duerden
McFarland Publishers
9781476673349             $39.95
www.mcfarlandpub.com 

Lewis Hine: Photographer and American Progressive could have been featured in our arts or politics sections; but is reviewed here because the subject under consideration is wider-ranging than either category and should be considered for college-level libraries strong in American photography and political history alike. 

Lewis Hine uses a number of sources, from interviews with surviving family members to research, to blend a biography of Hine with a survey of his images of children at work in cotton mills and mines: images which sparked a movement to end child labor and reformed the labor laws of the late 1930s. 

Packed with good-sized black and white reproductions of his works throughout, this coverage is especially recommended for arts and social issues collections looking for specific histories of those involved in the progressive movements of the times. 


The Plant Messiah
Carlos Magdalena
Doubleday
9780385543613             $26.95
www.doubleday.com 

The Plant Messiah: Adventures in Search of the World's Rarest Species could have easily been featured in our science section; but is reviewed here because horticulturalists and biography and travel literature readers alike will find it completely absorbing and educational. 

Carlos Magdalena is passionate about saving plant species. As he moved from a fascination with the flora of his native Spain to journeys around the globe searching out exotic species, Magdalena not only committed his life to protecting all plants from manmade destruction, but embarked on a program to educate others about these threats and their ultimate impact. 

This wide-ranging book should reach well beyond science holdings and into collections strong in social and political issues, global history, botanical perspectives, and more. Very highly recommended, The Plant Messiah holds a message that should neither be missed or limited to expert botanist audiences alone. 


Remembering Shanghai
Isabel Sun Chao and Claire Chao
Plum Brook, LLC
9780999393819            
www.rememberingshanghai.com 

Remembering Shanghai: A Memoir of Socialites, Scholars and Scoundrels belongs in autobiography collections and in libraries strong in social and historical inspections of China in the 1930s and 40s, documenting a family legacy of privilege changed by separation and the Cultural Revolution. 

When Isabel Sun Chao left China for Hong Kong at age eighteen, it wasn't with the intention of making Hong Kong her home. She had no idea that she would be separated from her family, never to see her father again. 

Fifty years later, Chao returned to China with her daughter on a mission to reconnect with family and discover their lives and fates. Remembering Shanghai follows five generations of Chinese and family history and is a riveting, well-crafted production that blends research with personal experience. This combination proves hard to put down; even for those with little prior familiarity with or special interest in Chinese history and affairs. 


Shakedown Cruise
Nigel Calder
Adlard Coles
9781472946713             $25.00
www.bloomsbury.com 

Shakedown Cruise: Lessons and Adventures from a Cruising Veteran as He Learns the Ropes comes from a veteran sailor who has, in the past, imparted much advice about the mechanics of handling a boat. Nigel Calder here provides a strong biography of how he gained all of his nautical knowledge. 

His discussions of how he learned to cruise, including many of the situations which both threatened his life and taught him lasting lessons about handling a boat, makes for vivid adventure reading that will be thoroughly relished by two audiences: nautical readers who love anything to do with the sea; and armchair adventurers who will find that Calder's story of a world cruise and its challenges for a new family (among other tales of wonder and danger) makes for engrossing entertainment. 


Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy
Nicholas Reynolds
William Morrow
9780062440143             $16.99
www.harpercollins.com 

Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy: Ernest Hemingway's Secret Adventures, 1935-1961 comes from a former historian at the CIA Museum and a longtime CIA officer and Marine colonel who uses his Oxford training as a historian to uncover and reveal the clues that suggest that literary icon Hemingway's participation in World War II intelligence work was far more complex than commonly known.

Many of Hemingway's exploits are revealed here for the first time; from his recruitment by Soviet spies and relationships with various branches of the U.S. intelligence and government communities to how his inherent appreciation for intelligence led to his role as an agent widely active in undercover operations. 

While this survey could have been featured in our history or literary categories, it's included here because any biography reader used to the typical approaches to Hemingway's life and times will delight in finding a very different focus on his achievements in political and intelligence circles. 


New Age 

Everyday Gratitude
Saoirse McClory, et.al., Editors
Storey Publishing
9781633860467             $12.95
www.storey.com 

Everyday Gratitude: Inspiration for Living Life as a Gift is recommended reading for anyone searching for positivity in their lives and comes from the Network for Grateful Living, a non-denominational organization dedicated to inspirational quotes and practices. 

The goal is to help readers reconnect with the foundations of happiness (which, here, are stated to lie in an atmosphere of gratitude). 

The hand-painted and handwritten admonitions make for not only thought-provoking reading, but are bright reminders of the choice of attitude inherent in everyday life events, making Everyday Gratitude a special gift pick for seekers looking for positive inspiration. 

Mindful Dreaming
Clare R. Johnson, PhD
Conari
9781573247344             $16.95
www.redwheelweiser.com

Mindful Dreaming: Harness the Power of Lucid Dreaming for Happiness, Health, and Positive Change joins what seems to be a plethora of new age titles on dream interpretation; but readers already more than familiar with the topic will find that this one holds a difference, adding mindfulness into the mix. 

Mindful Dreaming not only addresses issues of interpreting and acting within the dream state, but provides a specific approach and focus to applying dream lessons to one's waking life and its choices. 

While the discussion includes tips on improving sleep quality and having lucid dreams, it is especially powerful in its survey of how to transform nightmares into healing opportunities and how to interpret dream messages using mindful techniques. New age readers will find this approach unique, specific, and filled with tools for self-help and transformation. 


Sizzling Social Issues 


Chosen Country: A Rebellion in the West
James Pogue
Henry Holt
9781250169129             $28.00
www.henryholt.com

Chosen Country: A Rebellion in the West is a powerful examination of the militia movement across America. Reporter James Pogue encountered this movement in a remote corner of Oregon, where he was granted unique access by leader Ammon Bundy to their armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. 

As Pogue met ranches and militiamen determined to fight the federal government's forces, he not only witnessed defiance, but the deadly outcome of an occupation that led to a battle to bring the presence and purposes of militia movements to the general public's attention. 

His survey has its roots in these events but expands outward as Pogue considers the changing concepts of freedom, purpose, and the roots of a movement that defies any type of government control. 

Readers interested in American social movements and issues will relish Chosen Country's blend of historical, political, and social analysis. 


The Future of Us
Irwin Redlener, MD
Columbia University Press
9780231177566             $30.00
www.cup.columbia.edu 

The Future of Us: What the Dreams of Children Mean for Twenty-First-Century America is both a memoir and a social commentary that follows Dr. Irwin Redlener, a pediatrician who works in homeless shelters. His encounters with poverty and kids translates to a hard-hitting inspection of the nation's healthcare and the special programs that affect these children's futures. 

The Future of Us follows Redlener's career and choices; but it's quickly evident that his is a hard-hitting social commentary piece that moves beyond the research lab or statistical analysis and onto the streets, where he profiles children who struggle against all odds, yet still dream of achievement. 

Hard-hitting and personal, The Future of Us makes an impassioned plea for change based not only on study but on personal experience, arguing that America needs to drastically change its viewpoints and attitudes towards social programs and helping kids. 


Lights in the Distance
Daniel Trilling
Verso
9781786632791             $29.95
www.versobooks.com 

Lights in the Distance: Exile and Refuge at the Borders of Europe comes from a journalist whose years of reporting experience lends to a detailed and emotionally wrenching discussion of the plight of refugees in the European Union who have become unwanted aliens and migrants, and the systems designed to control and subjugate them. 

A violent and deadly system has evolved to control migrants in Europe, from detention centers to refugee camps; and while these receive occasional headline attention around the world (until other news takes over and pushes the ongoing issue aside), Trilling here delves into the personal stories of refugees he met and followed from country to country. 

Lights in the Distance injects the personal plight into the political scenario and is highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to put faces, names, and personal experience back into the bigger social issue of refugees in Europe. 


Pictures of a Gone City
Richard A. Walker
PM Press
9781629635101             $26.95
www.pmpress.org 

Pictures of a Gone City: Tech and the Dark Side of Prosperity in the San Francisco Bay Area can be marketed to economics or technology collections and anyone interested in San Francisco history and culture; but it's reviewed here for its additional recommendation to social issues collections interested in urban changes and their social impact. 

It's a powerful story of how the tech world has changed the Bay Area, resulting in both unprecedented wealth for those involved in the tech industry and a host of social issues and special challenges for the tech workers operating at menial wage levels who found San Francisco housing and basic necessities unaffordable almost overnight. 

From the expansion of a housing bubble which has extended to the farther reaches of the Bay Area and created a situation of unaffordable housing to the impact of start-up organizations with different business approaches to worker management, this hard-hitting book should be on the shelves of not just San Francisco readers, but anyone concerned with the impact of a rapidly-escalating economic system on ordinary people.

Pictures of a Gone City is very, very highly recommended for its astute observations of a currently unique (but possibly not limited to San Francisco) social hurricane of urban transformation. 


To the Promised Land
Michael K. Honey
W.W. Norton
9780393651263             $25.95
www.wwnorton.com 

At first glance, one might wonder at the need for yet another book on Martin Luther King Jr. Haven't most historical angles been more than covered? However, To the Promised Land: Martin Luther King and the Fight for Economic Justice offers yet another angle on King's famous story, reflecting on his legacy of empowering poor people through not just social and political approaches, but economic advocacy. 

Michael K. Honey is both a historian and a former civil rights organizer; and here he draws important links between King's struggle for economic justice and the roots of his evolving relationships with organized labor. 

From a focus on King's lesser-known advocacy efforts in 1966 Chicago and his growing awareness of class and racial issues to how he become involved in labor rights issues, To the Promised Land is a satisfying adjunct to the usual approaches to King's life and work and deserves a place in any serious civil rights or American history collection. 


"We Are All Fast-Food Workers Now"
Annelise Orleck
Beacon Press
9780807081778             $18.00
www.beacon.org

"We Are All Fast-Food Workers Now": The Global Uprising Against Poverty Wages examines marginalized workforce efforts to gain decent living wages and working conditions, but differs from some others on the topic by incorporating a global focus on the experiences of such workers around the world.

Photographer Liz Cooke contributes 20 black and white photos of these global workers as Annelise Orleck documents their lives, unionization processes, social and political challenges, and workplace environments with an eye to documenting the efforts of a new global working class intent on creating a new vision of what a better workplace might look like. 


Science, Nature & Technology 

Field Guide to Bats of the Amazon
Adri
à López-Baucells, et.al.
Pelagic Publishing
9781784271657             L30.00
www.pelagicpublishing.com 

Field Guide to Bats of the Amazon provides science readers with a species identification guide to 160 species of bat in the Amazon region, pairing lovely photos and an acoustic key for identifying bats with details that will greatly enhance efforts to track a notoriously difficult species. 

Not intended for general-interest readers or collections, this field guide is a specific and much-needed tool for those working in the Amazon who, until now, has had little in the way of effective field tools to work with. 

It represents an unprecedented effort and achievement in identifying bats, providing close-up color photos and drawings, and its often-full-page images are an essential ingredient to any scientist looking for a take-along field guide accompanying an expedition into the Amazon.


Losing the Nobel Prize
Brian Keating
W.W. Norton
9781524000914             $27.95
www.wwnorton.com

Losing the Nobel Prize: A Story of Cosmology, Ambition, and the Perils of Science's Highest Honor could have been featured in our biography section because on the surface it documents Keating's brush with success and how he lost it; but the actual story is wider-ranging than one physicist's experience, and includes a plea to reform an award that in actuality too often doesn't serve its purpose. 

Keating's work on the BICEP experiments turned into a pursuit of the Nobel Prize which actually led him away from the scientific processes and community the Prize was originally designed to encourage. 

Three stories—one man's research, the elusive nature of winning the Nobel, and the meaning of scientific pursuit and recognition—provide a hard-hitting, critical assessment of the Nobel prize in physics that should be read by any scientist reaching for this ultimate pinnacle of success. 


Reviewer's Choice 


Addicted to Americana
Charles Phoenix
Prospect Park Books
9781945551192             $29.95
www.prospectparkbooks.com 

At first glance, Addicted to Americana might seem another road trip to some of the nation's byways and oddities; but look closer and you'll find an underlying attention to both traditional American lifestyles and attractions that are anything but ordinary. 

From settings for odd theme parks, pop culture, strange architectural structures, and exotic re-enactments of past and future worlds to drive-ins, vintage segments of towns, odd mid-century creations, and other cultural oddities, Charles Phoenix has seen and documents the most endearing, bizarre, and atmospheric aspects of Americana collecting and culture. 

The result, packed with color photos in an eye-catching display that makes every page a wonder, is highly recommended for any who would undertake an armchair road trip across America on roads and from perspectives far less traveled, much less documented. 


And Now We Have Everything
Meaghan O'Connell
Little, Brown
9780316393843             $26.00
www.littlebrown.com 

And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready follows a young girl's accidental pregnancy and her initial worries that having a child will involve losing sight of her own goals and purposes in life. 

So far, this sounds like a standard memoir theme; but dose this perspective with a humorous tone and discussions of different kinds of special challenges that emerge from an unplanned pregnancy and something quite different from the usual introspective memoir emerges. 

And Now We Have Everything is the item of choice for any young woman facing similar circumstances. It's candid, revealing, occasionally shocking, and filled with bigger-picture thinking that draws important connections between living life and giving birth in a potent, lively, highly recommended read. 


Breaking Up with Busy
Yvonne Tally
New World Library
9781608685257             $18.95
www.newworldlibrary.com 

Breaking Up with Busy: Real-Life Solutions for Overscheduled Women is for both professional and ordinarily overscheduled women who find too much of their life is conducted on the run, and offers clear and concrete solutions to better time management and choosing better options. 

Busy behavior too often becomes an uncontrollable pattern, as Yvonne Tally points out, and it was her own career experiences and struggles with life balance that led her from the ER room to producing this book of methods to break the too-busy cycle. 

The ideal reader will be successful, always busy, and looking for concrete solutions to better time management for better quality of life. 


CarTech Books
www.cartechbooks.com 

Two fine new titles from CarTech are recommended picks for transportation collections appealing to auto enthusiasts; each offering excellent, specific technical information. 

Tyler Greenblatt's The Corvette Hunter (9781613253472, $26.95) tells of Corvette car enthusiast Kevin Mackay's vintage Corvette finds and his efforts to restore them. While this subject will be especially attractive to fellow Corvette car buffs, it should in no way be limited to this audience. 

Mackay reveals how he found and restored many valuable Corvettes, offering tales of famous cars, celebrated owners, and his interactions with both. 

Hobbyists with a particular affection for Corvettes will find the lively text and liberal peppering of color photos throughout make for a revealing and fun leisure pursuit that offers many technical insights unique to the Corvette in the course of its discussion. 

Don Alexander and Quinn Thomas's Jeep Wranger JK 2007-Present (9781613253595, $26.95) is a comprehensive examination of the Wranger's history, modifications, and performance options that is especially recommended for auto mechanics who would enhance and improve this model of Jeep. 

Vital information needed to convert street vehicles to off-road trucks accompanies step-by-step specifics on performance upgrades that will elevate the Jeep Wrangler beyond its original purpose, while color photos and diagrams throughout assume no technical knowledge as they document every step of the process. 

Both books are top recommendations for automotive collections and the readers who want technical specifications and satisfyingly in-depth details. 


Change Particulars: A Writer's Field Notebook
Sara Mansfield Taber
Johns Hopkins University Press
9781421425085             $19.95
www.press.jhu.edu

Change Particulars: A Writer's Field Notebook for Travelers, Bloggers, Essayists, Memoirists, Novelists, Journalists, Adventurers, Naturalists, Sketchers, and Other Note-Takers and Recorders of Life is for any writer who would capture unfamiliar and unique experiences using a field notebook format to record life as it happens, and provides a detailed primer for writers who want to create initial notes and observations that could turn into full-length productions later. 

Plenty of books have been written on how to produce polished writing; but having a narrowed focus on creating a field notebook that captures sensory details as they happen is a different approach. This technique is basic for superior writing; and thus Change Particulars should be considered a foundation text for novices who would hone the finer art of observation before moving to the next level. 


The Dogs of Camelot
Margaret Reed and Joan Lownds
Lyons Press
9781493031610             $19.95
www.lyonspress.com 

The Dogs of Camelot: Stories of the Kennedy Canines is a fun survey of the Kennedy family's lifetime love for dogs and the animals they brought into the White House, and uses photos and stories from the archives of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum to offer insights into canines and humans alike. 

A prior interest in both canine and Kennedy history will be a prerequisite for enjoying this book, but history buffs may be particularly fascinated to learn that a host of facts about the Kennedy presidency are revealed during the course of discussions about the family's canine companions. 

The result is an easy read, and a simple way of getting non-history readers to enjoy historical precedents. 


Floundering Fathers
Stephan Pastis
Andrews McMeel
9781449489342             $14.99
www.andrewsmcmeel.com 

Floundering Fathers offers prior fans and newcomers another 'Pearls Before Swine' comic strip collection that excels in and emphasizes puns. 

While the earlier Pearls collections didn't include this emphasis, Floundering Fathers demonstrates that this added approach to cartoon satire and humor results in an exceptional production as Pastis expands the Pearls gang's repertoire with a series of 'groaners' that will have his cartoon strip fans laughing and shaking their heads. 

While prior Pearls fans will rush to pick up this latest, it's quite accessible to all (even those with no prior Pearls experience), who will find this latest addition a thought-provoking and fun, winning set of observations about life and its ironies and oddities. 


The Green Burial Guidebook
Elizabeth Fournier
New World Library
9781608685233             $15.95
www.newworldlibrary.com 

Typical discussions of death take common routes in examining the process of preparing for a burial; but The Green Burial Guidebook holds quite a different approach to the subject and comes from a seventh-generation mortician who advocates for 'greener' burials. 

The focus is on environmentally friendly, cost-effective choices in burial or cremation. The Green Burial Guidebook is the first book to address the concept of green burial practices and how they relate to religious and social attitudes on planning for death. 

The ideological mixes with the practical in this book, pairing an overall change in perspective with the basics of how to go about arranging for a green burial and working with funeral homes and cemetery services. 

The Green Burial Guidebook is a basic consumer primer that deserves a place alongside any book on grief, death, and burial preparation processes. 


Kicks: The Great American Story of Sneakers
Nicholas Smith
Crown
9780451498113             $26.00
www.crownpublishing.com 

Kicks: the Great American Story of Sneakers provides a cultural history of sneakers in a survey that charts the rise of a $20 billion dollar industry which elevated the lowly shoe to near-celebrity status. 

The sneaker began as a beach shoe in the mid-1800s but has evolved into a sports and fashion icon, with different lines moving into athletic arenas and commanding big prices. 

Readers interested in intriguing stories of marketing, design, fashion, stormy personalities and changing American social norms will relish this multifaceted book, which reaches far beyond fashion to offer a lively history that educates readers not just about footwear, but the changing lives and perspectives of Americans as a whole. 


Murach's HTML5 and CSS3, 4th Edition
Anne Boehm and Zak Ruvalcaba
Murach
9781943872268             $59.50
www.murach.com 

The 4th updated edition of Murach's HTML5 and CSS3 is recommended as a reference staple for any web developer looking to stay current on the latest renditions of these tools, and not only gives insights into how their features work, but uses an increasingly-complex example of CSS3 that builds a foundation of knowledge. 

The book's opening chapters begin with an introduction to HTML and CSS3, discussing formatting, structure, basic concepts of Responsive Web Design, and include many 'how to' examples of common tasks such as creating a 2-tier navigation menu, working with HTML files for web pages, and using CSS for page layouts. 

The inclusion of succinct descriptions, examples from real-life working achievements, HTML and CSS code, and discussions of their properties makes for a clear training and reference piece that should not be missed by any web designer seeking to get up to speed or take a refresher course in HTML and CSS. 


Our Towns
James Fallows and Deborah Fallows
Pantheon
9781101671842             $28.95
www.pantheonbooks.com 

Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America comes from authors who have spent five years traveling across America in a single-engine prop plane, visiting dozens of towns and interviewing civil leaders and ordinary workers alike. 

Their journey captures both the social, political, and economic struggles of a nation fully cognizant of its choices and issues and those people looking to effect changes in their worlds which at times challenge the course of modern politics and national trends. 

From flight details between locales to descriptions of town politics and environments, the Fallows provide readers with a personal, eye-opening survey of America's ideals. The authors achieved their goal of placing themselves in social situations with strangers they were trying to engage in meaningful discussions. The evidence of their success lies in Our Towns.


  

Police Sergeant Exam, 6th Edition
Donald J. Schroeder, PhD
Barrons
9781438010984             $21.99
www.barronseduc.com 

The 6th updated edition of Police Sergeant Exam offers review material based on the latest versions of the test for any student looking to rise to Police Sergeant level, and should be required reading for any such test-taker. 

It consists of four practice exams (one diagnostic test and three full-length exams), assessment exercises with answer sheets and keys, discussions of the changing influence of private and public organizations on assessment center processes, and miscellaneous tips and comments on everything from student time management and unstructured and structured response formats to recommended strategies for acing exams on test day. 

The result is a 'must' study reference for any educational collection catering to police studies and tests. 


Where the Magic Happens
Caspar Craven
Adlard Coles Nautical/Bloomsbury
9781479949912             $25.00
www.bloomsbury.com 

Where the Magic Happens: How a Young Family Changed Their Lives and Sailed Around the World follows a nautical adventure with a seafaring family that comes up with a radical idea to change their lives by embarking on a round-the-world sailing adventure. 

Many sailors circumnavigate the world; but most don't carry toddlers aboard ship. Many navigators dream of untouched beaches and paradises; but how would they handle a child's emergency at sea, power failures that strand them miles from help, and a style of life at sea that represents many departures from traditional thinking? 

This uplifting and revealing survey will appeal to two audiences: armchair adventurers who enjoy vivid stories of magic and mayhem, and young couples who would consider the nuts and bolts of embarking on a similar life-changing family adventure. 


Film, Stage & Television 

Broadway
Fran Leadon
W.W. Norton
9780393240108             $35.00
www.wwnorton.com 

Broadway: A History of New York City in Thirteen Miles comes from an architect author who offers a mile-by-mile examination of the street and its history. 

New York City residents (and any with an affection for stage and shows) will appreciate this sweeping focus on the influences of Broadway's development and colorful rise as an icon of American theater culture as chapters move from the origins of Broadway's name (when Dutch colonists established the Brede Wegh, or Broad Way) to the personalities who crafted its culture and architecture. 

The stories are varied and focus on both individual influence and social and artistic growth as they follow the evolution of Broadway as a street, a community, and a center for the arts. 

While urban history collections and New York-centric holdings will be the likeliest pursuers of this book, it's reviewed here because any involved in Broadway shows will find it lively, revealing, accessible, and essential reading. 


Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds
Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince
Blood Moon Productions
9781936003570             $34.95
www.BloodMoonProductions.com 

Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds: Princess Leia & Unsinkable Tammy in Hell represents the first in-depth biography of the mother-daughter duo, and is especially recommended for prior fans of either woman, who will find this survey replete with new information, scandals, and colorful insights. 

Black and white vintage photos liberally pepper a series of revelations which assume the high drama and attraction of hot Hollywood gossip, but with an overlay of truth that attends to revealing not only the lives of and connections between Fisher and Reynolds, but their overall, lasting impact on Hollywood and pop culture alike. 

It's rare that a survey of much-publicized icons offers unique perspectives and new information, but Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds does so in a sweeping, thoroughly engrossing manner that will give their fans new insights and perspectives. 

While no Hollywood library should be without this authoritative coverage, it should also be mentioned that despite its volume (over six hundred pages of detail), it's quite accessible to those with relatively little prior information about the duo, who will find that the length of the volume in no way precludes its value as both a serious study and an attractive leisure read. 


Star Trek: Treknology
Ethan Siegel, PhD
Voyageur Press
9780760352632             $30.00
www.quartoknows.com 

Star Trek: Treknology could have been featured in our science book review section, but is included here because any Trekkie will want to know about the publication of this survey of over twenty scientific inventions unique to the series, which actually have roots in real science. 

Here Ethan Siegel considers technologies from warp drive and phasers to replicators, androids, and visors that help the blind to see, pairing Trek scenes and close-ups of the technology's image with scientific discussions of their realities or possibilities. 

Filled with full-page color photos of equipment and scenes from the productions, Star Trek: Treknology offers an intriguing and attractive discussion no Trekkie will want to forego, which will reach into scientific circles, as well, with its technical analysis. 


Arts and Crafts  

The Art of Leather Braiding
Roy Luo & Kelly Tong
Barrons
9781438011189             $19.99
www.barronseduc.com 

The Art of Leather Braiding: Beginner's Guide to Making Jewelry, Pendants, Bracelets, Belts, Straps, and Key Fobs provides a host of projects and techniques which require no special tools and which require only leather cord (readily found in any craft shop) to prove successful. 

Three- and four-string braid designs use a blend of written instruction, close-up color illustrations of each technique, and images of final results. Materials lists supplement discussions strong in imparting clear, easy directions.  

The Art of Leather Braiding is a fine guide especially recommended for newcomers to braiding who will find the versatility of leather an attraction and this braiding guide a key to using it successfully. 


The Bakersfield Sound
Robert C. Price
Heyday Books
9781597144155             $20.00
www.heydaybooks.com 

Anyone who knows Northern California knows that Bakersfield, a central valley town, isn't exactly considered a bastion of arts and culture. However, even musician readers are fairly unlikely to know about the startling musical roots explored in The Bakersfield Sound: How a Generation of Displaced Okies Revolutionized American Music.

This book documents a little-known segment in California musical influence and history. It focuses on a valley town that actually served as one of the hearts of country and rockabilly music in America, even though it was located far from what is considered to be the traditional home of such music (Nashville).

Journalist Robert E. Price provides many historical details on the roots of Bakersfield's musical heritage, making The Bakersfield Sound a highly recommended 'must' reference for any collection that purports to be authoritative on regional country music history and influences. 


Claire Trevor
Derek Sculthorpe
McFarland
9781476671932             $39.95
www.mcfarlandpub.com 

Claire Trevor: the Life and Films of the Queen of Noir covers the film productions and life of Claire Trevor, best known for her noir film works in the 1930s and 40s, who also appeared in a number of non-noir roles and was nominated for four Oscars. 

Derek Sculthorpe covers her life and career in detail in a well-researched survey of her life and achievements that accounts for the diversity of her acting roles and many previously-understated film achievements. 

Black and white photos pepper an in-depth consideration that goes beyond her life and times to explain why her roles and approaches to film resulted in such a notable career. 

No film history library should be without this memorable review of Trevor's life and notable movie contributions. 


Dusk to Dawn
Glenn Randall
Rocky Nook
9781681983066             $39.95
www.rockynook.com 

Dusk to Dawn: A Guide to Landscape Photography at Night is a new approach to landscape photography that combines night photography with landscape concepts using the digital camera. This marriage provides photographers the opportunity to capture night realms that would be difficult for a film camera to duplicate. 

Photographers who have basic skills and camera usage under their belts and who are looking for different, creative applications of landscape photography concepts will find that Dusk to Dawn provides everything needed to digitally capture night landscapes. 

From planning a shoot to taking images of the sky and landscapes which are lit by moonlight alone, chapters cover the basics of equipment, exposure times, setup, and different methods of shooting to make the most of the land and sky portions of images. 

The author's own achievements pack every page with full-color examples that include camera make, time and place, exposure data and f-stops, and approaches to focus stacking and other technical subjects. 

Photographers serious about expanding the concept of landscape art into the night arena should not be without this specific, example-filled survey of techniques. 


Gemologue: Street Jewellery Styles & Styling Tips
Liza Urla
ACC Art Books
9781851498819             $35.00
www.accartbooks.com 

Gemologue: Street Jewellery Styles & Styling Tips features lovely color photos from Gemologue, the blog winner of the Best Blog in the Fashion category at the UK Best Blog Awards 2015, and comes from a jewelry expert whose designs have influenced fashion around the world. 

Gemologue pairs "street-style" pictures with sometimes-startling display choices, focussing on how jewelry and choices in their display tell more about the wearer than other clues. It captures the real-world street displays that were Urla's focus. This provides an appealing survey based as much on social and cultural art insights as on the contents that make up a jewelry collection (although the latter is also included in discussions of jewelry's impact on wearers and observers alike). 

The result is anything but your usual jewelry inspection. Gemologue is a vivid, creative, and often eye-popping survey that examines the heart of jewelry's display and fashion and its connections to the fashion world's artistic choices.


The Lives of the Surrealists
Desmond Morris
Thames & Hudson
9780500021361             $39.95
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com 

At first glance, The Lives of the Surrealists would seem to duplicate the information provided in the many other art history surveys of surrealism already on the market; but this examination features a difference in focusing on lives rather than artistic productions. It defines surrealism's five basic styles and plugs career discussions into these ideas and stylistic approaches. 

Another difference between this book and competitors is that Morris considers how his identification and selection of surrealist artists differs from titles which focus on those who participated in group meetings and followed André Breton's definition of surrealism. Morris concentrates on a wider-ranging consideration of the underlying philosophy of surrealism rather than its artistic rendition alone. 

Black and white photos pepper a survey of how surrealism became not just an art form but a way of life for these selected artists, pairing biography with artistic and social insights throughout as it analyzes the works and sentiments of Picasso, Ernst, Man Ray and other icons of the genre. 

No art history holding that claims to be authoritative in surrealism representations should be without this definition-expanding coverage of not just the movement, but artistic variations on the surrealist ideal. 



Young Adult/Children

Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin
www.hmhco.com 

Four new picture books provide young readers with lively stories and fun illustrations, making them special picks for discriminating parents and elementary-level librarians. 

Katherine Applegate's Sometimes You Fly (9780547633909, $17.99) is illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt, whose lovely drawings compliment this fun celebration of a child's achievements from her first birthday to graduation. Parents expecting a linear approach will be surprised and delighted to find this story anything but usual: the 'before the' mentions deftly chronicle all these milestones, but use pictures to explain their meanings; while later, simple sentences pack in a great dose of philosophical meaning in just a few words ("But when we break/we learn to mend."). 

The result is a lovely, reflective celebration that uses deceptively simple sentences to encourage parent/child read-aloud contemplation of some excellent concepts ranging from growth to dreaming big. 

Carol Brendler's The Two Mutch Sisters (9780544430747, $17.99) tells of sisters who have two of everything. Violet believes they are perfectly matched, but Ruby thinks differently. And so begins a survey of similarities, differences, and the connections between sisters which turn into unexpected diversions when one sister decides that too much similarity is not good for her. 

Each has a collection of objects they take pride in; but now something is missing... 

A fine story evolves that is especially recommended for young readers with siblings. 

Deborah Underwood's Monster & Mouse Go Camping (9780544648326, $17.99) receives simple yet engaging drawings by Jared Chapman, who brings to life the tale of a reluctant novice camper, Monster, and how he joins Mouse in the little one's adventure of a lifetime. 

But what will happen when a hungry monster, lured by the promise of food, is left alone at camp with no meals? The unexpected leaves both wondering about the wisdom of their adventure in a different kind of camping trip saga that holds a lesson about preparedness and changing objectives. 

Anne Hunter's Possum and the Summer Storm (9780544898912, $17.99) tells of a possum who calls to his youngsters to come indoors as bad weather threatens; but his efforts can't save his family when disaster strikes. 

Helpful friends try to give the now-homeless family some respite, but their homes just aren't suited to the possum posse's needs. How can a big family work with their friends to get something acceptable, as a replacement? 

This isn't the first appearance of the Possums: this third adventure both continues their story and provides newcomers with a delightfully moving tale. 


Holiday House
www.holidayhouse.com 

Two fun readers for Guided Reading Levels C and E are recommended easy books for grades K-1 and 1-2, each offering a fun story, durable hardcover binding, and simple drawings designed to appeal to the very young. 

Douglas Florian's Pig and Cat Are Pals (9780823438587, $14.95) tells of best friends facing a problem: Pig discovers he likes Dog, too—and Cat is not invited to play with them! 

Crayon-enhanced illustrations will appeal to aspiring young artists with colorful pictures that could have come from one of their contemporaries as the story explores a friendship affected by change. 

Ethan Long's Dance, Dance, Dance! (9780823438594, $14.95) tells of Horse, who loves to dance; and his friend, Buggy, who does not. Or, she thinks that she hates dancing... 

This E Reading Level story tells of a bug who happily observes Horse's dance moves, but always comes up with excuses for not dancing, herself. 


A Lion is a Lion
Polly Dunbar
Candlewick Press
9780763697310             $15.99
www.candlewick.com 

A Lion is a Lion presents a fierce lion who seems too threatening to some...but what if said Lion wore a hat, talked politely, and decided to dance? 

A fun, easy-reading picture book story follows the basics of what makes a lion fierce and true to his nature, offering some surprises and alternate perceptions of ferocity, fear, and predatory behaviors. Kids will find this gentle story is different from the usual approach to lions as it documents how two kids decide to handle the King of Beasts in their own home. 

The engaging, original treatment offers a few surprises that parents and kids will appreciate.


 

'Craftily Ever After' titles
Martha Maker
Little, Brown
$16.99 each
www.simonandschuster.com/kids 

Two 'Craftily Ever After' stories are illustrated by Xindi Yan and will reach ages 5-9 with fun series additions about after-school arts and crafty productions. 

In The Un-Friendship Bracelet (9781534409088), best friends Emily and Maddie share a love for crafts and artwork until new student Bella shows up. 

Maddie befriends her, discovers she has just as much talent as Emily, and soon trouble threatens as Emily and Maddie's exclusive relationship changes. 

Making the Band (9781534409118) is the second book in the series and revolves around a talent show that stymies the now-four friends who can't think of anything to submit. 

A chance idea results in the concept of putting together not just a band, but instruments made from scratch. Can they combine their crafty inclinations with a different goal that challenges both their abilities and their friendships? 

Both are excellent stories of art and friendship alike. 


Peachtree
www.peachtree-online.com 

Lester L. Laminack's The King of Bees (978156145953, $17.95) is illustrated by Jim LaMarche and will reach ages 4-8 with lovely drawings and the powerful story of Henry, who helps his Aunt Lilla work with the beehives on their farm. 

Good reading skills will lend to an appreciation of this survey of farm operations, a boy's involvement in its success, and his newfound exploration of his aunt's beekeeping equipment and processes. 

Kids learn beekeeping facts and will empathize with young Henry's desire to help in this winning, appealing tale that comes to life with Laminack's detailed descriptions and LaMarche's beautiful drawings. 

Leslie Bulion's Leaf Litter Critters (9781561459506, $14.95) also excels in gorgeous color drawings. Robert Meganck's beautiful, exceptionally vivid images compliment descriptions written in various poetic forms which examine creatures that live in leaves. 

One doesn't expect vivid artwork or humor in a nature survey, much less poetry; but the combination creates a winning form packed with facts, activities, resources, and a format that encourages experimentation and investigation. 

Both are exceptional additions to elementary-level collections that stand out from the crowd. 


Penguin/Viking/Dial
www.penguin.com/kids

Two excellent new picture books provide leisure readers with warm stories perfect for family interactions and read-aloud pleasure. 

Elanna Allen's Pet Dad (9780525428266, $16.99) presents a family conflict: young Plum wants a pet, but her father says "no pets". Plum, however, is stubborn and used to getting her way, so she comes up with creative solution to satisfy her needs. 

The only problem remains in Dad's attitude. Can Plum or her father change for the greater good? Allen's underlying probe of a father and daughter's relationship is original, effective, unexpected, and poignant. 

Anna Dewdney's Ilama Llama Loves to Read (9780670013975, $17.99) tells of a young llama who knows his letters and is just learning how to use them to read.

At school, Llama sounds out letters and has discovered a new world in the library; but his real pleasure lies in demonstrating his newfound skills to his mother. 

This encouraging easy reader follows the youngster's success, his pride in accomplishment, and his journey to reading. 


Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com/kids

Three new picture books offer a satisfying blend of whimsy and pointed messages, and are recommended for parents and teachers looking for something different. 

Lisa Wheeler's People Don’t Bite People (9781481490825, $17.99) is illustrated by Caldecott honoree Molly Idle, who provides a specific guide that parents with kids who bite will especially relate to and relish. It's a topic that typically doesn't receive attention in an entertainment read, which makes this admonition and fun review an exceptional approach. 

It's good to bite food, but bad to bite your sister...and while animals may bite, people can "choose to use our words" instead. That's the run, rollicking message of a story which gets its point across through good-sized, appealing illustrations and an approach that gently teaches kids why it's a good idea not to bite inappropriate things. 

Tomie dePaola's In A Small Kingdom (9781481498005, $17.95) enjoys good drawings by Doug Salati as it explores a small kingdom along an ancient road which faces changes after its beloved king dies, leaving a young heir to the throne. 

When this young price's older half brother steals the trappings of rule and destroys it, the little kingdom falls upon hard times. How can the young price locate a new source of power to rescue his new inheritance? 

Good reading skills will lend nicely to appreciation of this story of leadership success. 

Frank Asch's Pancakes in Pajamas (9781481480504, $17.99) is a bear book that documents what can happen when the Bear family decides to take the day off, stay in their pjs, and eat pancakes all day. 

Again: good reading skills or parental read-aloud assistance will enhance the experience of this story of a family that decides to relax and play all day. Asch's whimsical creation is appealingly fun.

These new chapter books and readers for the lower elementary-level grades are also solid acquisitions. 

Those just moving from picture books to chapter titles will appreciate Carla Spinner's Trolley Ride! (9781534416277, $17.99), which invites new readers to imbibe in the story of Daniel, who is embarking on a trolley ride around his neighborhood. 

Kids who are ready to learn how to read receive a story of about a hundred words (many repeated) which include frequently used words, rhymes, instructions, and a question-and-answer format designed to reinforce reading comprehension and early learning. 

Cynthia Rylant's Rosetown (9781534412774, $16.99) will reach ages 8-12 with the easy story of nine-year-old Flora Smallwood of Rosetown, Indiana, who faces the death of her dog, the separation of her parents, and a move to fourth grade: any of which would bring angst. 

Flora feels overwhelmed by too many changes in her formerly-stable life. How can she adjust? 

Elena Delle Donne's Hoops: Elle of the Ball (9781534412316, $16.99) also reaches ages 8-12 with its story of a tall (six feet!) seventh-grade girl who faces changes in her basketball team and classmates. 

Her latest school challenge involves learning to ballroom dance with a boy much shorter than her, among other obstacles. How can she make the most of her stature and take her place in this rapidly changing world? 

Mike Lupica's Team Players (9781481419674, $16.99) looks as though it would reach an older age group; but ages 8-12 will also discover it to be a special read in many ways. Team Players is the fourth, final book in the Home Team series that centers around four sports-oriented friends living in a fictional town. 

Here Cassie faces a girl with Asperger's Syndrome on her softball team and learns some important lessons on leadership, ability, special needs, and sportsmanship in the course of blending abilities into a team effort. 

Readers from advanced elementary into early middle school grades will also receive much to enjoy from this publisher. 

Elena Delle Donne also writes My Shoot: Balancing It All and Standing Tall (9781534412286, $17.99), the autobiographical story of how Donne walked away from a scholarship and a chance to play in a prestigious women's college basketball program to stay at home and help her older disabled sister Lizzie. 

Eventually she did attend college and return to sports, but it would be a while before she regained her passion for basketball and learned how to approach the game from a different angle, on her own terms. 

Jason Reynolds' For Every One (9781481486246, $14.99) is directed to kids who dream big and comes from a professional dreamer who has long fought to make his own dreams a reality. 

He expected such success at sixteen, eighteen, then in his twenties. His message for fellow kids who strive (and many who don't dare to take a risk to make their dreams come true) comes in the form of uplifting free verse poetry that holds a difference and a message. 

Sunny by Jason Reynolds (9781481450218, $16.99) is the third book in the 'Track' series that follows kids from different backgrounds chosen for an elite middle school track team on the road to the Olympics. Sunny is the main character here, and his life story is revealed in chapters that consider why Sunny struggles so hard to be a winner. 

Against the backdrop of family tragedy and his drive to win comes the gentle story of Sunny's disposition, efforts, and why he suddenly brings everything to a grinding halt. 

Stuart Gibbs' Waste of Space (9781481477796, $16.99) provides the third (and concluding) book in the Moon Base Alpha series. Familiarity with the prior books in the series is recommended in order for readers ages 8-12 to readily absorb the story of Dash, who has rescued the moon base commander and now just looks forward to a quiet birthday celebrating his entry into his teens. 

But when a poisoning happens on base, Dash finds himself again on the fast track of investigations in a riveting mystery set on the Moon. Kids who enjoy sci-fi and detective reads will find this tale stands nicely alone, although Dash's personality and talents really shine in the concluding saga and bring the other books full circle for those readers who appreciated his talents earlier. 


Sleeping Bear Press
www.sleepingbearpress.com 

Four new books will appeal to various age ranges with appealing topics and writings that capture imagination and attention. 

Sandra Dallas's Hardscrabble (9781585363759, $15.95) explores a 1910 Colorado family's struggles as they attempt to make a living off hundreds of acres of land that the government is offering them for free. 

Events are told from the perspective of young Belle Martin as she, her mother, and her six siblings move out west to join their father in a five-year farming effort. Nobody counted on the natural disasters which continually stymie their road to success. 

A lovely story of struggle and achievement emerges, deftly illustrating the events that took place during the Westward expansion, for ages 9-11. 

Denise Brennan-Nelson's Good Night, Forest (9781585363889, $16.99) enjoys gorgeous, full-page drawings by Marco Bucci, whose often-whimsical portraits of forest creatures compliment a very simple survey for ages 4-8. 

Forest animals are getting sleepy as night falls, and a gentle lullaby in rhyme follows the different critters as they prepare for night, creating a soft and compelling read-aloud that parents can use to lull their children to sleep. 

Linda Vander Heyden's A Horse Named Jack (9781585363957, $16.99) is illustrated by Petra Brown and provides the engaging picture book story of Jack the horse, who loves to have kids come visit him on the farm. 

There's a downside to attention, though; because one day nobody comes to visit him, and he quickly becomes bored. Nobody knows he can escape his stall; but when he employs his jailbreak talents and begins to survey the neighbor's garden, trouble breaks out. 

A counting rhyme blends with Jack's playful exploits in a lovely horse saga that kids will relish. 

Lucy Branam's Roof Octopus (9781585369973, $16.99) is illustrated by Rogério Coelho, whose whimsical and fun drawings compliment the mystery of a giant octopus that appears on the roof of Nora's apartment building: an event that she thinks is simply delightful. 

Adults aren't so sure, until they discover that the octopus likes to lend eight hands to any job. 

Detailed and zany drawings illustrating dilemmas and fun help make this story even more of an exceptional production. 

All are excellent recommendations for parents and librarians seeking the unique.