New Fiction
Days of infamy by Harry Turtledove.
Echoes by Danielle Steel.
Hour game by David Baldacci.
To the last man: a novel of the First World War by Jeff Shaara.
The treasured one by David Eddings.
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Days of infamy by Harry Turtledove.
Echoes by Danielle Steel.
Hour game by David Baldacci.
To the last man: a novel of the First World War by Jeff Shaara.
The treasured one by David Eddings.
Monkey business by Wallace Edwards.
Synopsis: "The Tom and Jerry legacy chases through every nook and cranny of the classic animation pantheon. Whether it is cat chasing mouse or mouse chasing cat, these two are always getting eachother into trouble."
Contains 40 episodes of the cartoon classic that have been restored and remastered.
Virginia Madsen, Lindsey Haun, Barbara Mambolo, John Ralston, Nick Roth, Jackie Rosenbaum.
Synopsis: "Holly Lovell dreams of attending The Haverty Conservatory of Music and Dance even though her single mom Wanda is struggling to pay the bills, never mind being able to afford the tuition. When Wanda finds Holly's application in the trash, she secretly records Holly's performance at a local competetion and submits the application for her. Holly soon discovers that dreams do come true. All you need is hope ... and a mother's gift."
Based on the novel "A mother's gift" by Britney & Lynne Spears.
Synopsis: "A snooping columnist, who writes under the pseudonym Mrs. Jones, secretly infiltrates 10 Downing Street in an effort to reveal the Prime Minister's intimate personal details and deflate her re-election campaing. Once inside, he finds not scandal, but true love."
Synopsis: "Seventeen-year-old Nói drifts throught life on a remote fjord in the north of Ireland. In winter, the fjord is cut off from the outside world. The fjord is surrounded by ominous mountains and covered under a shroud of snow. Nói dreams of escaping from his white-walled prison with Iris, a city girl who works in a local gas station. Unfortunately, his clumsy attempts at escape spiral out of control and end in complete failure. Only a natural disaster will offer him a better world."
William H. Macy, Tom Selleck, Monica Potter, Felicity Huffman, James Rebhorn, Shemar Moore, Glenn Plummer.
Synopsis: "Arthur Raven is a successful corporate lawyer whose world is turned upside-down when he is assigned to draft the final appeal of a potentially innocent inmate as he is nearing his execution date."
Based on the novel by Scott Turow.
Double shot by Diane Mott Davidson.
Winter house by Carol O'Connell.
By bread alone by Sarah-Kate Lynch.
Crisscross: a Repairman Jack novel by F. Paul Wilson.
Savannah, or, A gift for Mr. Lincoln by John Jakes.
The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson.
Synopsis: "After twelve-year-old Annika, a foundling living in late nineteenth-century Vienna, inherits a trunk of costume jewelry, a woman claiming to be her aristocratic mother arrives and takes her to live in a strangely decrepit mansion in Germany."
Synopsis: "In his final days in office, Governor George Ryan, was left to decide whether 167 death row inmates should live or die. Deadline details the gripping drama of the state's clemency hearings highlighting one man's historic actions against the system."
Synopsis: "Ripe for retirement in the eyes of some, Tennison is still up for a fight, and she'll need all the energy she can muster when she takes on the darker forces of British government in search of a sadistic killer with a guilty past."
Originally broadcast on television in 2003.
Witch hunter Robin, vol. 1 Arrival
Anime.
Ages 13 and up.
Japanese or English dialogue, English subtitles.
Synopsis: "In a world where witches abuse their supernatural powers, a special team is put in charge of hunting this new threat to society. This organization is known as the STNJ and comprises of several highly skilled craft users and experts in covert operations. But their most powerful craft user is a young woman named Robin. Her mysterious gift to summon deadly flames will determine the fates of the colleagues and lead her into a dark world of mystique and witchcraft."
The book of Dead Days by Marcus Sedgwick.
Synopsis: "With the help of his servant and an orphan girl, a magician named Valerian searches graveyards, churches, and underground waterways for a book he hopes will save him from a pact he has made with evil."
The giant jelly bean jar by Marcie Aboff.
The little gentleman by Philippa Pearce.
Synopsis: "A young girl's dull life is transformed when she meets and befriends an extraordinary talking mole that likes to be read to and tell of his own past exploits throughout the centuries."
Broken: the troubled past and uncertain future of the FBI by Richard Gid Powers.
Emeril's potluck: comfort food with a kicked-up attitude by Emeril Lagasse.
The last duel: a true story of crime, scandal, and trial by combat in medieval France by Eric Jager.
A complicated kindness by Miriam Toews.
Family blessings by Fern Michaels.
Lazarus vendetta by Robert Ludlum.
Light on Snow by Anita Shreve.
The murder artist by John Case.
Prince of Beverly Hills by Stuart Woods.
Unbidden truth by Kate Wilhelm.
Giggle, giggle, quack...and more funny favorites
Synopsis: ""Giggle, giggle, quack": Farmer Brown goes on vacation, leaving his brother Bob in charge, but Duck has changed the care instructions for the animals. "The most wonderful egg in the world": Several animals have very beautiful features, but whoever lays the most wonderful egg will be crowned princess. "Wings: A tale of two chickens": Winnie unknowingly goes for a balloon ride with a sly fox. Can Winnie's sensible friend Harriet rescue Winnie before she becomes the fox's meal? "The foolish frog": A proud bullfrog is the subject of this rhythmic American folk song that will have you singing along!"
How do dinosaurs say good night? ... and more stories that rhyme
Synopsis: ""How do dinosaurs say goodnight?": Even dinosaurs make a fuss before bedtime. Can parents ever get them into bed? "In the small, small pond": Frogs leap, tadpoles wriggle, geese waddle and minnows scatter. You'll enjoy watching this pond come to life in the spring. "Zin! Zin! Zin! The violin": A lone trombone playing solo is joined by a trumpet to make a duet, until a French horn make it a trio. One by one instruments gather together for a joyous musical performance. "All the color of the Earth": Celebrate the colors of children and the colors of love in this beautiful lyrical story."
Jonny Quest: the complete first season
Synopsis: "Jonny's father is a scientist, the sort who travels to exotic locations and faces a host of sinister villains, gun-wielding thugs, and fearsome monsters. Not only does Jonny go along on these escapades, but so do his tutor-bodyguard, Roger T. "Race" Bannon, his mystical adopted brother, Hadji, and his dog, Bandit."
Originally aired on television during the 1964-1965 season.
The teacher from the Black Lagoon...and more slightly scary stories
Synopsis: ""The teacher from the Black Lagoon": On the first day of school, a young boy expects the worst when he discovers that his new teacher is the "monster", Mrs. Green. "What's under my bed?: Mary Ann and Louie are convinced there is something scary under their beds. "By the light of the Halloween moon": A spying cat, a watchful witch, a hobgoblin sprite, all are scary companions who plan to gobble up a young girl. "The three robbers": Three robbers terrify the countryside until they meet an orphan girl named Tiffany."
Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears...and more stories from Africa
Synopsis: ""Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears": A tall tale sets off a chain of mishaps in the jungle. Will the jungle creatures ever get the story straight? "A story, a story": Once, all the stories in the world belonged to Nyanme, the Sky God. He kept them in a box beside his throne. But Ananse, the Spider Man, wanted them - and caught three sly creatures to get them. "Who's in Rabbit's house?": Rabbit has a problem - someone is inside her house and won't let her in. Can the leopard, rhino or elephant help Rabbit get in her house?"
Radiant New York beauties: 14 paper-pieced quilt projects by Valori Wells.
Last exile, Vol. 1: First move
MPAA rating: 13-UP.
Japanese or English dialogue, English subtitles.
Synopsis: "Go to an imaginary world where retro-futuristic sky vehicles permeate the skies. Against this background, lives the young and heroic Vanship sky porters - Claus and Lavie - who are forced to take on the mission to deliver a mysterious girl, Alvis, to the battleship Silvana. Before they know it, they become entangled in an aerial adventure between two countries gripped in an eternal war of magnificent air battleships."
MPAA rating: R; for language, durg content and some sexuality.
Mandarine dialogue, English subtitles.
Synopsis: "Working as a hostess in a trendy bar, a young beauty finds herself mercilessly torn betwen two men: Hao-hao, her neurotic and jealous live-in boyfriend, and Jack, the mysterious and enterpirsing gangster who may be her undoing. Chronicles the fleeting, finite blooming of a young woman."
Tonka tough truck adventures: the biggest show on wheels
Synopsis: "The biggest event of the year is finnally here: Truckweek! For the next action-packed, piston-pounding week, the world's biggest, toughtest, and most powerful truck teams from all around the world will compete for the undisputed World's Toughest Truck Championships! Tonka Joe and his team of tough trucks are ready to defend their title and are revved up to save the day by doing things the right way, the Tonka way. So buckle up and hold on as Tonka Joe and his team of trucks race, save, and rescue their way through this adventure."
MPAA rating: PG-13; for thematic issues involving teens.
Kate Hudson, John Corbett, Joan Cusack, Hayden Panettiere, Spencer Breslin, Abigail Breslin, Helen Mirren.
Synopsis: "Helen is living the life she's always dreamed of with her career at a top modeling agency on the rise. But her carefree lifestyle comes to a crashing halt when she soon finds herself responsible for her sister's children - Audrey, Henry, and Sarah. No one doubts that Helen is the coolest aunt in New York, but the transformation from super-hip to super-mom is super difficult. Along the way, Helen finds support from Dan Parker, the handsome young pastor and principal of the kids' new school, and realizes the choice she has to make is between the life she's always loved and the new loves of her life."
The case of the baffled bear by Cynthia Rylant.
Synopsis: "Bunny and Jack, animal detectives, take a break from playing cards to look for Bernard Bear's missing messenger whistle."
The high-rise private eyes series.
Find a face by Francois Robert.
Synopsis: "Presents, with accompanying rhyming text, photographs of everyday objects depicting faces."
I am too absolutely small for school by Lauren Child.
Synopsis: "When Lola is worried about starting school, her older brother Charlie reassures her."
Kapow by George O'Connor.
Synopsis: "Truth, justice, and the American Eagleway! A young boy realizes what it really means to be a superhero."
Mrs. Watson wants your teeth by Alison McGhee.
Synopsis: "A first grader is frightened on her first day of school after hearing a rumor that her teacher is a 300-year-old alien with a purple tongue who steals baby teeth from her students."
Dying declaration by Randy Singer.
American dream: three women, ten kids, and a nation's drive to end welfare by Jason DeParle.
Hope in hell: inside the world of Doctors Without Borders by Dan Bortolotti.
How to talk to a liberal (if you must): the world according to Ann Coulter by Ann H. Coulter.
IPM for gardeners: a guide to integrated pest management by Raymond A. Cloyd.
On their own: what happens to kids when they age out of the foster care system? by Martha Shirk.
Pie: 300 tried-and-true recipes for delicious homemade pie by Ken Haedrich.
The rise of Viagra: how the little blue pill changed sex in America by Meika Loe.
Ultimate dog grooming by Eileen Geeson.
Amagansett by Mark Mills.
Chaucer and the house of fame by Philippa Morgan.
The midnight band of mercy by Michael Blaine.
Northern lights by Nora Roberts.
The Parisian affair by Judith Gould.
Sweet and vicious by David Schickler.
The cup of the world by John Dickinson.
Synopsis: "When Phaedra, a willful daughter of a baron, decides to marry for love, she sets off an unforseeable chain of events and a battle between good and evil."
Doormat by Kelly McWilliams.
Synopsis: "Fourteen-year-old Jaime has always been a doormat, but her diary reveals how getting the lead in a school play, finding her first boyfriend, discovering her dream, and helping her best friend cope with being pregnant transform her life."
Girl, 15, charming but insane by Sue Limb.
Synopsis: "Fifteen-year-old Jess, living with her mum, separated from her father in Cornwall, and with a best friend who seems to do everything perfectly, finds her own assets through humor."
Key to the golden firebird by Maureen Johnson.
"As three teenaged sisters struggle to cope with their father's sudden death, they find they must reexamine friendships, lifelong dreams, and their relationships with each other and their father."
So yesterday by Scott Westerfeld.
Synopsis: "Hunter Braque, a New York City teenager who is paid by corporations to spot what is "cool," combines his analytical skills with girlfriend Jen's creative talents to find a missing person and thwart a conspiracy directed at the heart of consumer culture."
Boats on the river by Peter Mandel. Illustrated by Edward Miller.
Eager by Helen Fox.
Synopsis: "Unlike Grumps, their old-fashioned robot, the Bell family's new robot, Eager, is programmed to not merely obey but to question, reason, and exercise free will. It₂s the end of the 21st century where technocrats rule and robots take care of humans₂ every need. Your house watches you, knows your secrets, and talks to you. And your closest friend can be₇a machine? Gavin Bell and his teenage sister Fleur come from a middle-class family. Their much-loved, old-fashioned robot, Grumps, is running down and can₂t be repaired, so a scientist friend loans them EGR3, an experimental new robot to help Grumps. EGR3, known as Eager, learns from his experiences, as a child would. He feels emotions₇wonder, excitement, and loss. When the ultra high-tech, eerily human BDC4 robots begin to behave suspiciously, Eager and the Bells are drawn into a great adventure that is sometimes dark and often humorous."
The Get Rich Quick Club by Dan Gutman.
Synopsis: "Summer vacation in their small Maine town does not look too promising until twelve-year-old Gina and four of her friends make a pact to become millionaires before school starts in September."
The house on the gulf by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
Synopsis: "A sixteen-year-old boy arranges a housesitting job for the summer, but he starts acting strangely after his family moves in, and his sister begins to suspect they are not supposed to be there."
Kazunomiya: prisoner of heaven by Kathryn Lasky.
Synopsis: "Princess Kazunomiya, half-sister of the Emperor of Japan, relates in her diary and in poems the confusing events occurring in the Imperial Palace in 1858, including political and romantic intrigue."
From the Royal Diaries series.
Merlin and the making of the king by Margaret Hodges.
Synopsis: "A retelling of four Arthurian legends, "The Sword in the Stone," "Excalibur," "The Lady of the Lake," and "The Last Great Battle," which feature Merlin, King Arthur, and other familiar figures. In this collection of three exciting Arthurian tales, Merlin the magician watches over young Arthur as he rises to become king of all England. But enemies threaten Arthur: Morgan le Fay, the witch, and Mordred, the traitor, plot to bring about the king's destruction. Will good king Arthur triumph over the dark forces in his path and bring peace and justice to the world? These timeless tales are adapted from Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur."
The old Willis place: a ghost story by Mary Downing Hahn.
Synopsis: "Tired of the rules that have bound them ever since "the bad thing happened," twelve-year-old Diana ignores her brother's warnings and befriends the daughter of the new caretaker, setting in motion events that lead to the release of the spirit of an evil, crazy woman who once ruled the old Willis place."
Synopsis: "Over Christmas vacation, Annabel goes from her home in Manhattan to visit her father, his new wife, and her half- and step-siblings in Sydney, Australia."
First, do no harm by Larry Karp.
Plains crazy: a Mad Dog & Englishman mystery by J. M. Hayes.
The Sunday philosophy club by Alexander McCall Smith.
Marque and reprisal by Elizabeth Moon.
Astonishing splashes of colour by Clare Morrall.
Cheat and charmer by Elizabeth Frank.
The complete stories of Truman Capote by Truman Capote.
The first desire by Nancy Reisman.
The little white car by Danuta De Rhodes.
The real Minerva by Mary Sharratt.
The red queen by Margaret Drabble.
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.
Apples to Oregon: being the (slightly) true narrative of how a brave pioneer father brought apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, and cherries (and children) across the Plains by Deborah Hopkinson.
Ages 2-5.
Synopsis: "A pioneer father transports his beloved fruit trees and his family to Oregon in the mid-nineteenth century. Based loosely on the life of Henderson Luelling."
Come to my party and other shape poems by Heidi Roemer.
Synopsis: "Poems that celebrate favorite things from different seasons of the year, each shaped like the subject at hand."
The right dog for the job: Ira's path from service dog to guide dog by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent.
Synopsis: "Tells how a golden retriever is trained as a service dog, to help someone who has trouble moving their arms or legs, and later as a guide dog for a man who cannot see."
Solar power by Christine Peterson.
Synopsis: "Describes how the sun's energy suppports all living things on Earth and how it is used as a power resource to create electricity."
The nameless day by Sara Douglass.
Happily ever after by Susan Warren.
Hunter Star quilts & beyond: techniques & projects with infinite possibilities by Jan P. Krentz.
Nickel quilts: great designs from 5-inch scraps by Charlene Thode.
Connie the Cow: adventures on the farm
Synopsis: "Connie loves helping out on the farm and overcoming the challenges all around her. Can Connie figure out how to build a special pool so the insects can enjoy the water? Her friend Snooze the Turtle had been challenged to a race he thinks he can't win. Connie has a problem of her own - she want to play hide-and-seek, but she doesn't know how to count. Helps preschoolers practice both visual and auditory skills: to listen and look; to name and describe objects; to compare and contrast; same vs. different; group like items; make new discoveries about nature, animals and plants."
Special features: grown-ups section with tips and activities; 5 interactive games; fun facts about Connie and her friends; weblinks to games and activities.
Synopsis: "Golf instruction for the novice as well as the more seasoned golfer, including lessons on: how to grip a club, stand, and swing; putting; chipping, pitching, and sand shots; how to fix a hook, slice, or shank; choosing the best equipment."
Special features: Golfspeak glossary; on the green : do's and don'ts; common faults and how to fix 'em.
The Jetsons: the complete first season
Synopsis: "A futuristic family whose everyday world is cluttered with gadgets that anticipated such technological marvels as the Internet and the cellular phone. George is a corporate sprocket at the mercy of his tyrannical boss ; teenage daughter Judy is boy crazy; Elroy's a boy genius; and Jane's a pretty, sensible woman capable of intervening when George gets stuck on the treadmill."
Originally aired on television during the 1962-1963 season.
Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's war on journalism
Synopsis: "Documentary on reported Conservative bias of the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel (FNC), which promotes itself as "Fair and Balanced". Material includes interviews with former FNC employees and the inter-office memos they provided."
Synopsis: "Uncover some of the greatest mysteries of our time in this stunning look at the works of the legendary Leonardo Da Vinci. Are there hidden messages within these masterpieces that shed new light on some religious beliefs?"
Bahamarama by Bob Morris.
Into the volcano: a Mallory & Morse novel of espionage by Forrest DeVoe.
A watery grave by Joan Druett.
A sundog moment: a novel of hope by Sharon Baldacci.
Hawkes Harbor by S. E. Hinton.
Magical thinking: true stories by Augusten Burroughs.
Sacred stone by Clive Cussler.
Snowleg by Nicholas Shakespeare.
Boris and Bella by Carolyn Crimi. Illustrated by Gris Grimly.
Ages 4-7.
Synopsis: "Bella Legrossi and Boris Kleanitoff, the messiest and cleanest monsters in Booville respectively, do nothing but argue until the night of Harry Beastie's Halloween party. Annotation. Bella Legrossi is the messiest monster in all of Booville. Her slime is the slimiest and her grime is the grimiest. Alas, she is neighbors with Boris Kleanitoff, a persnickety ghoul so tidy he vacuums his vampire bats. What could ever bring these two together? It will take a Halloween party like no other--a full creature-feature of beasts, ghosts, and creepy-crawlies, and some of the fanciest dance moves since Morrie Mummy shook a leg clean off. So grab a mug of ghoul drool and join the fun! Wicked wit Carolyn Crimi and illustrator Gris Grimly have put their heads together (along with a few they found in the graveyard) and cooked up the funniest, funkiest, and out-and-out freakiest monster mash you've ever seen!"
Moo Who? by Margie Palatini. Illustrated by Keith Graves.
Synopsis: "After being hit on the head, Hilda the singing cow forgets what sound she should make, so she imitates different animals until she gets her "moo" back."
This is the baby by Candace Fleming. Pictures by Maggie Smith.
Synopsis: "A cumulative rhyme enumerating all the items of clothing that go on the baby who hates to be dressed, from the diaper often a mess to the jacket woolen and plaid."
The camel's lament by Charles E. Carryl. Illustrated by Charles Santore.
A poem in which a camel compares his life with that of other animals of the world.
Planes at the airport by Peter Mandel.
Jungle drums by Graeme Base.
Synopsis: "Tired of being teased, Ngiri, the smallest warthog in Africa, uses a set of magic drums to make wishes, but he is not careful enough and makes the rift between the Warthogs and the beautiful Other Beasts even worse."
Knock knock by Jan Wahl.
Synopsis: "A little witch sitting alone at her spinning wheel hears a knock at her door, but the various body parts that enter are not much company."
On the launch pad: a counting book about rockets by Michael Dahl.
Synopsis: "A countdown from twelve to one as a space shuttle awaits liftoff."
One giant splash: a counting book about the ocean by Michael Dahl.
Synopsis: "Uses marine animals, such as twelve jellyfish and two seals, to count down from twelve to one."
The toughest cowboy: or how the wild west was tamed by John Frank.
Why Epossumondas has no hair on his tail by Coleen Salley.
Synopsis: "Epossumondas's mother tells him a story about how his great-great-grandfather became the first possum to have a hairless tail."
Wild about books by Judy Sierra.
Synopsis: "A librarian named Mavis McGrew introduces the animals in the zoo to the joy of reading when she drives her bookmobile to the zoo by mistake."
Charlie's raven by Jean Craighead George.
Just Mabel by Frieda Wishinsky.
For beginning readers.
Synopsis: "Mabel learns to appreciate her name and, together with a good friend, finds a way to cope with critical classmates."
Miss Daisy is crazy! by Dan Gutman.
First in the My Weird School series.
Synopsis: "Miss Daisy's unusual teaching methods surprise her second grade students, especially reluctant learner A.J."
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
Synopsis: "Soon after Peter, an orphan, sets sail from England on the ship Never Land, he befriends and assists Molly, a young Starcatcher, whose mission is to guard a trunk of magical stardust from a greedy pirate and the native inhabitants of a remote island."
The secret of Castle Cant: being an account of the remarkable adventures of Lucy Wickwright, maidservant and spy by K. P. Bath.
Synopsis: "When twelve-toed orphan Lucy Wickwright is brought to Castle Cant to be serving girl to the Baron's daughter, the Adorable & Honorable Pauline, she becomes involved with revolutionaries and uncovers surprising palace intrigues."
Da wild, da crazy, Da Vinci by Jon Scieszka.
New title in the Time Warp Trio series.
Air by Geoff Ryman.
A woman betrayed by Barbara Delinsky.
Abridged on cassette.
ESPN25: 25 mind-bending, eye-popping, culture-morphing years of highlights by Charles Hirshberg.
In the shadow of no towers by Art Spiegelman.
A graphic novel on board pages about September 11th.
Before you know kindness by Christopher A. Bohjalian.
California girl by T. Jefferson Parker.
Double homicide: Santa Fe and Double homicide: Boston by Faye and Jonathan Kellerman.
Two books in one.
The prodigal by Beverly Lewis.
Leaving Protection by Will Hobbs.
Synopsis: "Sixteen-year-old Robbie Daniels, happy to get a job aboard a troller fishing for king salmon off southeastern Alaska, finds himself in danger when he discovers that his mysterious captain is searching for long-buried Russian plaques that lay claim to Alaska and the Northwest."
PLaying in traffic by Gail Giles.
Synopsis: "Shy and unremarkable, seventeen-year-old Matt Lathrop is surprised and flattered to find himself singled out for the sexual attentions of the alluring Skye Colbly, until he discovers the evil purpose behind her actions."
Trickster's queen by Tamora Pierce.
Synopsis: "Aly fails to foresee the dangers that await as she uses her magic to safeguard Dova and her younger siblings, despite knowing that her thirteen-year-old charge might be queen of the Copper Isles when the colonial rulers are defeated."
Bunny mail by Rosemary Wells.
Synopsis: "While Ruby plans a Fourth of July doll picnic, Max sends letters to Santa to ask for "a bright red Sand-Spitter Motorcycle with Bigfoot tires," but the letters are delivered to his grandmother, instead, and she must try to decipher the pictures. Includes lift-up flaps."
Here today by Ann M. Martin.
Synopsis: "In 1963, when her flamboyant mother abandons the family to pursue her dream of becoming an actress, eleven-year-old Ellie Dingman takes charge of her younger siblings, while also trying to deal with her outcast status in school and frightening acts of prejudice toward the "misfits" that live on her street."
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta.
Synopsis: "Sixteen-year-old Francesca could use her outspoken mother's help with the problems of being one of a handful of girls at a parochial school that has just turned co-ed, but her mother has suddenly become severely depressed."
Any place I hang my hat by Susan Isaacs.
Black cat by V.C. Andrews.
Second in the Gemini series.
In Mandarin with optional English subtitles.
Synopsis "The story of two itinerant miners who risk their lives in one of the many illegal Chinese coal mines."
MPAA rating: R; for language and brief sexuality.
French dialogue, English subtitles; closed-captioned.
Synopsis: "Rose is a pampered and prissy makeup artist who is hoping to get out of a bad relationship with her boyfriend, Sergio, by leaving him in Paris and heading off to Mexico for a holiday. After losing her cell phone, Rose borrows one from Felix, a somewhat stiff salesman with an interest in gourmet cooking, who is en route to Munich to attend a funeral. When both Rose and Felix find themselves stranded at the airport due to a transportation strike, they end up sharing a room at a nearby hotel. Their contrasting personalities make the evening interesting for them both."
MPAA rating: PG13.
Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Quaid, Jason Patric.
Synopsis: "The roads cross at San Antonio de Bexar at a small ruined mission called The Alamo - a place where myth meets history and legend meets reality. In the spring of 1836 nearly 200 Texans held the fort for 13 days under siege by General Santa Anna."
Rated R.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Audrey Tautou, Sergi López, Sophie Okonedo, Benedict Wong, Zlatko Buric.
Synopsis: "Nigerian exile Okwe and Turkish chambermaid Senay toil at a west London hotel that is full of illegal activity. Late one night Okwe makes a shocking discovery, which creates an impossible dilemma and tests the limits of all they know."
Hallmark Home Entertainment
Synopsis: "A century-old Indian storyteller and his grandson, a troubled 17-year-old boy, embark on a cross-country journey toward self-discovery. Like Pete's wise tales themselves, Dreamkeeper is important and illuminating storytelling for the entire family."
Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowdon, Russell Simpson, O.Z. Whitehead, John Qualen, Eddie Quillan, Zeffie Tilbury.
Synopsis: "The migration of the Joad family to California from their dust-bowl farm in Oklahoma during the Great Depression."
Videodisc release of a 1940 motion picture.
Rated R.
.
Geraldine McEwan, Anne-Marie Duff, Nora-Jane Noone, Dorothy Duffy, Eileen Walsh.
Synopsis "Based on the true story of three extraordinary women whose courage to defy a century of injustice would inspire a nation. Abandoned by society and cast out by their families for crimes they did not commit, these women found themselves stripped of their liberty and dignity and condemned to indefinite sentences of manual labor. Within the church-run Magdalene Laundries, these women were forced into unbearable institutional servitude in order to cleanse themselves of the "sins" of which they had been accused."
Bob the Builder: Snowed under, the Bobblesberg Winter Games
Synopsis: "It's the Bobblesberg Winter Games and Bob and his crew have been asked to come and build the mayor of Bobblesberg a log cabin for the up coming Winter Games. Wendy will be participating in the Games, so spirits are running high as the crew help to make the area ready for all the winter sport events. Meet Benny, a new machine who helps out the crew."
Special features: 2 bonus 'Bob the Builder' episodes; bloopers.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
MPAA rating: R; for language, some drug and sexual content.
Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Thomas Jay Ryan, Mark Ruffalo, Jane Adams, David Cross, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkinson.
Synopsis: "When Joel discovers that his girlfriend, Clementine, has had their tumultuous relationship erased from her mind through an experimental scientific procedure, he decides to ease his own pain by getting the same treatment. But, as each memory of Clementine is systematically eliminated, Joel suddenly realizes how much he still loves her and desperately attempts to reverse the process."
Yiddish, English and Hebrew dialogue, English subtitles.
Synopsis: "Arriving in 1924, Pesachke Burstein, the dancing-singing comedian, quickly became a leading figure in the Golden Era of Yiddish theater. On stage, he would meet, fall in love with and eventually marry raising star Lillian Lux. Embarking together on triumphant overseas tours as a couple, they soon became the parents of twins. Before long the children, Mike and Susan, were given stage names and accompanied their parents on tours. In time, the pressures of theatrical life would take its toll on the family."
MPAA rating: R; for language, some sexuality and drug content.
Courteney Cox, David Arquette, David James Elliot, Viola Davis, Kimberley Davies, Jon Polito, Carol Kane, Chris Potter, Ross Benjamin.
Synopsis: "Samantha is a travel writer suffering from claustrophobia, agoraphobia, and a whole host of other phobias. She isn't exactly lucky in her romantic life either. But when her psychotherapist suffers a major mental breakdown, Samantha tries to get in contact with the doctors patients to cancel all her appointments. She ends up secretly posing as the missing shrink in an effort to help her neighbor Michael get away from his girlfriend and turn to her. Through her chase, Samantha meets the happy-go-lucky magazine salesman, Henry."
MPAA rating: R; for sexuality/nudity and language.
Closed-captioned.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Daniel Craig, Jared Harris, Amira Casar, Andrew Havill, Sam Troughton, Lucy Davenport, Antony Strachan, Blythe Danner, Michael Gambon.
Synopsis: "Born in Boston, MA, in 1932, Plath developed a talent as a writer and published her first poem when she was eight years old. That same year, Plath was forced to confront the unexpected death of her father. In 1950, she began studying at Smith College on a literary scholarship. In 1955, she was granted a Fulbright Scholarship to study in England at Cambridge. There, Plath met Ted Hughes, a respected author. The two fell in love, and married in 1958. However, marriage, family, and a growing reputation as an important poet failed to bring Plath happiness."
In Romanian with English subtitles.
Synopsis: "Documents a year in the lives of five homeless Romanian children, homeless in part as the result of the policies of deposed Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu, who make their home in a subway station in Bucharest."
Synopsis: "Every year the United States hires 250,000 new teachers. On September 7, five teachers will begin their new journey. These five young teachers fight the real fight: educating our children, one child at a time. Shows the human side of the story, revealing all the determination and commitment it takes to survive in America's toughest school systems."
Synopsis: "The adrenaline-filled odyssey of five legendary kungfu monks in search of the American dream. The men in this movie are not only accomplished Zen masters but famous kungfu stars with huge followings."
Synopsis: "Aryana Farshad's quest in her native Iran to explore the religious rituals and traditions that have fascinated the Western world for centuries. Includes rare glimpses of the women's chamber at the Great Mosque, the fire rituals in Zarathustra, and the dance of the Dervishes in Kurdistan."
Rated PG-13.
Synopsis: "Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock embarks on a journey to find out if fast food is making Americans fat. For 30 days he can't eat or drink anything that isn't on McDonald's menu; he must eat three square meals a day, he must eat everything on the menu at least once and supersize his meal if asked. He treks across the country interviewing a host of experts on fast food and a number of regular folk while downing McDonald's to try and find out why 37% of American are now overweight. Spurlock's grueling diet spirals him into a metamorphosis that will make you think twice about picking up another Big Mac."
Cabbage soup solution by Erika Oller.
Synopsis: "Elsie lives a simple life on a small farm, growing things that she sells to the green grocer, but one night half of her cabbages disappear and her cats, Fluff and Gordo, find the culprits and make them set things right."
I spy shapes in art by Lucy Micklethwait.
Synopsis: "Presents objects with the shape of a heart, a triangle, a square and other shapes through paintings by such artists as Magritte, Escher, and Matisse."
Mr. Maxwell's mouse by Frank Asch.
Song of creation by Paul Goble.
Wild witches' ball by Jack Prelutsky.
The plot against America by Philip Roth.
The reckoning by Jeff Long.
America (the book): a citizen's guide to democracy inaction by Jon Stewart.
Exporting America: why corporate greed is shipping American jobs overseas by Lou Dobbs.
Shadow Divers: the true adventure of two Americans who risked everything to solve one of the last mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson.
Alt Ed by Catherine Atkins.
Synopsis: "Participating in a special after-school counseling class with other troubled students, including a sensitive gay classmate, helps Susan, an overweight tenth grader, develop a better sense of herself."
Be more chill by Ned Vizzini.
Synopsis: "Badly in need of self-confidence and a change of image, high school nerd Jeremy Heere swallows a pill-sized super computer that is supposed to help him get whatever he wants."
Indigo's star by Hilary McKay.
Synopsis: "Spurred on by his youngest sister, Rose, twelve-year-old Indigo sticks up for himself and an American boy who has replaced him as the primary target of the school bullies."
Sequel to: Saffy's angel.