" /> What's New at the Caestecker Public Library: April 2005 Archives

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April 30, 2005

New DVD

Birth

Rated R.

Nicole Kidman, Lauren Bacall, Danny Huston, Anne Heche, Cameron Bright, Arliss Howard, Peter Stormare, Ted Levine, Cara Seymour, Alison Elliott.

A widow for ten years, Anna is looking forward to getting remarried when a mysterious boy appears claiming to be her late husband reincarnated. The boy can recite the most intimate details of Anna's life. What follows is a spellbinding journey inside the very soul of a woman whose mind refuses to believe the impossible but whose heart knows the undeniable truth.

April 28, 2005

New Mysteries

Some welcome home: an Elizabeth Pepperhawk & Avivah Rosen mystery by Sharon Grant Wildwind.

Superstition by Karen Robards.

Sparks fly between a police chief and a reporter who are thrown together when a brutal killer comes out of hiding after fifteen years.


New Teen Fiction

Like we care by Tom Matthews.

New Nonfiction

Black Virgin Mountain: a return to Vietnam by Larry Heinemann.

In 1966, Larry Heinemann, a working-class twenty-two-year-old from Chicago, was drafted into the Army just as the American military buildup in Vietnam was going into overdrive. He served one year of combat duty with the 25th Infantry Division, from March 1967 to March 1968, most of it in the vicinity of Cu Chi (of the famous tunnels). It was the most horrific and consequential year of his life and served as the raw material for his two subsequent classic war novels, Close Quarters and Paco's Story. The war also devastated his family; both of his brothers served in the military, and one of them killed himself, while the other has been missing for many years. Truly, the Vietnam War altered Heinemann's life utterly and forever.

New DVDs

House of flying daggers

MPAA rating: PG-13; for sequences of stylized martial arts violence, and some sexuality.

Mandarin, dubbed English or dubbed French dialogue, English or French subtitles.

Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, Song Dandan.

During the reign of the Tang dynasty in China, a secret organization called "The House of the Flying Daggers" rises and opposes the government. Leo is a police officer who sends officer Jin to investigate a young dancer named Mei, claiming that she has ties to the "Flying Daggers" organization. Leo ends up arresting Mei, only to have Jin break her free in a plot to gain her trust and lead the police to the new leader of the secret organization. But things are far more complicated than they seem.

Meet the Fockers

Rated PG-13. Crude and sexual humor, language and a brief drug reference.

Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand, Blythe Danner, Terri Polo, Tim Blake Nelson, Alanna Ubach, Ray Santiago.

When Pam and Greg get their parents together it turns into one disaster after another. The hippie Fockers are the direct opposite of the uptight Byrneses. With one pitfall after the next, the film takes awkward in-law experiences to new heights.

National treasure

Primer

Vera Drake

April 26, 2005

New Children's Fiction

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park.

While working on a project for an after-school club, Julia, a Korean American girl, and her friend Patrick learn not just about silkworms, but also about tolerance, prejudice, friendship, patience, and more. Between the chapters are short dialogues between the author and main character about the writing of the book.

New Nonfiction

One soldier's story: a memoir by Robert J. Dole.

In his own words, Bob Dole relates his legendary World War II story--a personal odyssey of tremendous courage, sacrifice, and faith. With insight and candor, Dole also focuses on the words, actions, and selfless deeds of countless American heroes with whom he served. 16-page photo insert.

Suzanne Somers' slim and sexy forever: the hormone solution for permanent weight loss and optimal living by Suzanne Somers.


New Fiction

In the company of cheerful ladies by Alexander McCall Smith.

In the newest addition to the universally beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the charming and ever-resourceful Precious Ramotswe finds herself overly beset by problems. She is already busier than usual at the detective agency when added to her concerns are a strange intruder in her house on Zebra Drive and the baffling appearance of a pumpkin. And then there is Mma Makutsi, who decides to treat herself to dance lessons, only to be partnered with a man who seems to have two left feet. Nor are things running quite as smoothly as they usually do at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. Mma Ramotswe's husband, the estimable Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, is overburdened with work even before one of his apprentices runs off with a wealthy woman. But what finally rattles Mma Ramotswe's normally unshakable composure is a visitor who forces her to confront a secret from her past. . . .

Oh my stars by Lorna Landvik.

The portrait by Iain Pears.

Set against the dramatic, untamed landscape of Brittany during one of the most explosive periods in art history, "The Portrait" is rich with atmosphere and suggestion, psychological complexity, and marvelous detail.

April 22, 2005

New DVDs

Deadwood, Season One

1876, the Black Hills of South Dakota. In an age of plunder and greed, the richest gold strike in American history draws a throng of misfits to an outlaw settlement where everyone has a price. Welcome to Deadwood ... a hell of a place to make your fortune.

Hotel Rwanda

MPAA rating: PG13.
The deeply moving true story of a five-star-hotel manager who used his wits and words to save more than 1,200 lives during the 1994 Rwandan conflict.

King Lear

As seen on Masterpiece Theater.

April 21, 2005

New Teen Fiction

Artemis Fowl: The opal deception by Eoin Colfer.

Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz.

After a chance encounter with assassin Yassen Gregorovich in the South of France, teenage spy Alex Rider investigates international pop star and philanthropist Damian Cray whose new video game venture hides sinister motives involving Air Force One, nuclear missiles, and the international drug trade.

Maximum Ride: the angel experiment by James Patterson.

After the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "birdkids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose.

Nancy Drew #1: The demon of River Heights by Stefan Petrucha.

New Children's Fiction

The search for Belle Prater by Ruth White.

In 1955, Woodrow and his cousin Gypsy befriend a new girl in their seventh grade class in rural Virginia, and the three of them set off to find Woodrow's missing mother, encountering unlikely and intriguing coincidences along the way.

New Picture Books

Choo choo clickety-clack by Margaret Mayo.

The giant hug by Sandra Horning.

When Owen sends a real hug to his grandmother for her birthday he inadvertently brings cheer to the postal workers as they pass the hug along.

New Nonfiction

My life so far by Jane Fonda.

Born into the Hollywood of her legendary father Henry Fonda, the actress and bestselling author tells the story of her remarkable life--the movies, the men, the times of her life. From studying acting with Lee Strasberg to the making of many movies--Barbarella, Klute, Coming Home, The China Syndrome, On Golden Pond; from marriages to French movie director Roger Vadim, activist Tom Hayden, media billionaire Ted Turner, to her independent life today; from antiwar activism to feminism and child advocacy; My Life So Far reveals the woman herself, with rich insights into the struggles of being human.

New Fiction

Never let me go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

No place like home by Mary Higgins Clark.

New Books on CD

No place like home by Mary Higgins Clark.

True believer by Nicholas Sparks.

New Fiction

The breakdown lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard.

When her husband decides to defect from their life together, advice columnist Julianne Ambrose Gillis must carry on alone. In his absence, Julie is diagnosed with a serious illness, which drives her children to undertake a dangerous journey to find their dad.

Factory of cunning by Philippa Stockley.

Set in late eighteenth-century England, Philippa Stockley's American debut gives us a wickedly delightful but deadly serious battle of the wills and the sexes. It begins with the arrival in London of the mysterious Mrs. Fox. On the run from a scandalous French past, she takes on a new identity, determined to rehabilitate herself. To do so she must pit her formidable skills for revenge against Earl Much, a British aristocrat with no less notorious a past and easily her match in sinfulness and intrigue. Between these two swirls a story featuring venal lords, wronged maidens, and reprobate clergymen, transporting readers from bawdy houses to country estates-places where the pleasures of the flesh are both high comedy and serious business.

Lost in the forest by Sue Miller.

Lost in the Forest is a novel set in the vineyards of Northern California that tells the story of a young girl who, in the wake of a tragic accident, seeks solace in a damaging love affair with a much older man." Eva, a divorced and happily remarried mother of three, runs a small bookstore in a town north of San Francisco. When her second husband, John, is killed in a car accident, her family's fragile peace is once again overtaken by loss. Emily, the eldest, must grapple with newfound independence and responsibility. Theo, the youngest, can only begin to fathom his father's death. But for Daisy, the middle child, John's absence opens up a world of bewilderment, exposing her at the onset of adolescence to the chaos and instability that hover just beyond the safety of parental love. In her sorrow, Daisy embarks on a harrowing sexual odyssey, a journey that will cast her even farther out onto the harsh promontory of adulthood and lost hope.

Mermaid chair by Sue Monk Kidd.

Sue Monk Kidd's stunning debut, "The Secret Life of Bees," spent 77 weeks on "The New York Times" bestseller list. Now, in her much-anticipated new novel, Kidd has woven a transcendent tale that will thrill her legion of fans and cement her reputation as one of the most remarkable writers at work today.

Pretty woman by Fern Michaels.

Rotund Rosie Bliss, nEe Gardener, is miserable. She has known all along that her husband married her for her money she runs a successful mail-order business, Nature's Decorations but she has always lacked the courage to do anything about it. She even lost her best friend and business partner, Vickie, over the truth. In a rare show of spine, Rosie throws out the sorry Kent when he misses their third anniversary dinner. Kent isn't sorry to leave (You're nothing but a fat pig with big feet), but he slinks back the next day when he discovers that Rosie has won the lottery a $302 million jackpot. As she fights to keep Kent's hands off her windfall and resolves to become the pretty woman he never saw in her, Rosie is cheered on by wonderful trainer Jack Silver, housekeeper Luna Mae, and Vickie, with whom Rosie renews her friendship. Kent schemes alternately to get Rosie back and to steal from her, but ends by almost believably growing up, even seeing her transformation as an inspiration for his own necessary changes. Rosie, however, isn't waiting around for him. The concluding triathlon, in which Michaels's likable heroine shows her stuff, is a strong finish to a frothy read.

Two-dollar bill by Stuart Woods.

Stone Barrington is caught between a clever con man--who's just become his client--and a beautiful prosecutor in this stylish thriller in the bestselling series. "Two-Dollar Bill" delivers all the storytelling twists and whip-smart banter readers have come to love in Woods's thrillers.

New Video

Bridget Jones: the edge of reason

MPAA rating: R; for language and some sexual content.

Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Jacinda Barrett, James Callis, Shirley Henderson, Sally Phillips, Neil Pearson, Jessica Stevenson.

Not that Bridget is counting, but it's been six wonderful weeks, four fabulous days, and seven percious hours with one flawless boyfriend, Mark. But when mischievous and devilishly charming Daniel arrives on the scene claiming to be a reformed man, can Bridget find a way to make true love last forever?

New Children's DVD

All about John Deere for kids

New DVDs

The Corporation

The Corporation charts the spectacular rise of the corporation as a dramatic, pervasive presence in our everyday lives. With a deft mix of humor, visual panache, and seriousness, filmmakers Mark Achbar (Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomksy and the Media) and Jennifer Abbott and writer Joel Bakan have fashioned a timely, entertaining critique of global conglomerates in the modern age.

Crashcourse: what to know before and after a collision

Shows how to avoid the most common causes of collisions; provides information you must know at the scene of a collision; and advises how to deal with the consequences of a collision.

Distant

The highly acclaimed, award-winning Turkish film Distant is a deeply compassionate and frequently amusing study of quiet desperation, prompting many critics to favorably compare writer-director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's subtly hypnotic drama to the films of Ozu and Tarkovsky.

Last exile: positional play

MPAA rating: 13-UP.
Japanese or English dialogue, English subtitles.

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.

The Marx Brother Silver Screen Collection

Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the greatest comedy act in history with The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection. This essential DVD set features the legendary four Marx Brothers in five of their most acclaimed and best loved films - Duck Soup, Horse Feathers, Monkey Business, Animal Crackers and The Cocoanuts - the only five movies ever made with all four brothers together: Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo!

The shield: Season 2

Michael Chiklis, CCH Pounder, Walton Goggins, Catherine Dent, Benito Martinez, Michael Jace, Jay Karnes, Kenneth Johnson.

The story of an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where some of the cops aren't above breaking the rules or working against their associates to both keep the streets safe and their self-interests intact.

Spanglish

"Rated PG-13. Some sexual content and brief language"

Adam Sandler, Téa Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman, Shelbie Bruce, Sarah Steele, Ian Hyland, Victoria Luna.

A Mexican woman becomes the housekeeper for a rich, yet troubled family. The result is a wittily perceptive collision of cultures and values, and a refreshingly honest look at such life-altering commitments as marriage, parenting and devotion to family.

New Nonfiction

Be happy at work: 100 women who love their jobs, and why by Joanne Gordon.

Joanne Gordon examines the lives of 100 women who, like herself, choose happiness in the workplace over monetary compensation or other benefits and shows how other women can apply this information to their own lives.

No such thing as over-exposure: inside the life and celebrity of Donald Trump by Robert Slater.

With The Apprentice, Donald Trump has gone beyond celebrity to become a true legend. He's the one billionaire everyone recognizes, the only one whose name is its own global brand. But, for all the ink that's been spilled about him, nobody's ever fully captured the man - until now." "Donald Trump agreed to give Robert Slater unprecedented access to his world: over 100 hours of private conversations and meetings. Wherever Trump went, Slater was there as a "fly on the wall" at deal-making sessions, on Trump's Gulfstream...everywhere. Slater interviewed 150 of Trump's former and present employees and colleagues, even his toughest competitors. Now, he reveals the man in full: the business man and dealmaker, strategist and survivor, celebrity and personality. You'll learn how Trump transformed himself from an unknown local real-estate developer to a global magnate. You'll see how he really does business, discovering lessons that go far beyond anything he has revealed before. You'll witness his brilliant media management...and watch him leverage his celebrity to save his casino business, not once but twice. Most remarkable of all, you'll discover how Trump really feels about his celebrity, his empire, his outsized American life.

Perfect madness: motherhood in the age of anxiety by Judith Warner.

A lively and provocative look at the modern culture of motherhood and at the social, economic, and political forces that shaped current ideas about parenting.

New Teen Graphic Novels

Hellsing, Volume 1 by Kohta Hirano.

There's a secret organization somewhere in England created to defend the Queen and country from monsters of all sorts. Yes, it's hard to believe in this day and age...but really, isn't this the true age of monsters?

Enter Hellsing, an agency, long in tooth, with the experience, know-how, and...er...equipment to handle the problems that arise when vampires, ghouls, and the like take on these dark forces. "What equipment?" you may say. How about another vampire, and a big pistol loaded with special silver bullets? That oughta do the trick. But what really knocks 'em dead is the sharp wit, awesome artwork, and crazy, bloody action that make up the manga. Hellsing the long-awaited manga is finally in America, thanks to Dark Horse Comics and the folks at Digital Manga, and you're gonna love it. Come get some smart-ass gore and action as only Japan seems to produce, in that crazy "non-Western" format the kids seem to love. And nice and thick at a full 200 pages! The night is dark, but at least those wacky anti-heroes from Hellsing can make light of it.

Land of the blindfolded by Tsukuba Sakura.

Get ready for Tsukuba Sakura's symbolic tale LAND OF THE BLINDFOLDED, in which one character can only see the past, and another can only see the future! Originally presented in LaLa DX magazine from Hakusensha between 1998 to 2004, the 9-volume LAND OF THE BLINDFOLDED is the story of high school student Outsuka Kanade who can sometimes see a person's future with a touch, and transfer student Naitou Arou, whose ESP is limited to past events. When Kanade glimpses an unfortunate incident coming, can she change it? She soon befriends Arou, who's no novice — he can turn his ability on or off at will, even using it to see an object's "memories." Are these teenaged seers of the past and future made for each other? And who's right: Arou with his "hands off" policy about meddling in people's lives, or Kanade whose more proactive stance has already had unhappy consequences?

Swan by Ariyoshi Kyoko.

One of the most famous and lauded shojo manga ever published, Swan is Ariyoshi Kyoko's best-selling classic about a girl who strives to become a great ballerina.

Wish, Volume 1 by Clamp.

New Teen Fiction

Bar code tattoo by Suzanne Weyn.

The bar code tattoo. Everybody's getting it. It will make your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will become your identity. But what if you say no? What if you don't want to become a code? For Kayla, this one choice changes everything. She becomes an outcast in her high school. Dangerous things happen to her family. There's no option but to run...for her life.

Black canary by Jane Louise Curry.

James Parrett feels oppressed by his musician parents' focused lifestyle and constant performing. While visiting London, he discovers a strange shimmer in the air that takes him from contemporary London to the year 1600. In a series of return visits, he realizes that he is trapped–the time portals have shifted, and he cannot return to his true time. James is conscripted into the "Children of the Royal Chapel," who sing and perform for Queen Elizabeth. James, now nicknamed the "Black Canary," discovers his talent and love for music and performing. He realizes that he has grown and become "more ME" than his previous self, and he is forced to decide whether he will remain in his new life or return to his home and family.

Piratica: a daring tale of a singular girl's adventure upon the high seas by Tanith Lee.

A bump on the head restores Art's memories of her mother and the exciting life they led, so the sixteen-year-old leaves Angels Academy for Young Maidens, seeks out the pirates who were her family before her mother's death, and leads them back to adventure on the high seas.

Summer boys by Hailey Abbott.

From the creators of "Gossip Girl" comes a fresh, edgy take on summertime romance. Cousins Ella, Beth, and Jamie are gearing up for the wildest time of their lives, but nothing can prepare them for the crazy ups and downs of love.

New Picture Books

Guji Guji by Zhiyuan Chen.

Crocodile Guji Guji was raised by a family of ducks and things are great until one day he meets three crocodiles who tell him that he isn't a duck. When they ask Guji Guji to help them trap the ducks he feels torn and must decide who he is, what he is, and what's really important.

If you're happy and you know it! by Jane Cabrera.

A book based on the popular children's song with bright colored animals joining in on each page.

That new animal by Emily Jenkins.

FudgeFudge does not like that new animal. Marshmallow does not like it either. Not even a little bit. So begins this forthright, hilarious, and boldly illustrated story about two dogs that see the arrival of a new baby as a huge problem. They don't like the way that new animal smells or the way the people just sit and stare at it, forgetting all about FudgeFudge and Marshmallow. They have to do something about it, but what? Then one morning a stranger named Grandpa arrives, and he wants to hold that new animal. Instantly FudgeFudge and Marshmallow know they can't allow that. Why? they ask each other. Because, by now, that new animal has become their new animal.

What grandmas can't do by Doug Cushman.

April 20, 2005

New Children's Nonfiction

Chameleon, chameleon by Joy Cowley.

Experience close-up the many moods (and colors) of chameleons. One brave chameleon ventures from the safety of his tree in search of a new home. On his journey, he meets other rain forest animals, not all of them friendly! Alas, the new tree he chooses is already home to another chameleon. She dons her aggressive coloring until she's sure that the visitor is friend, not foe. Then they welcome each other with brilliant, happy colors. Incredible photographs and simple text perfect for young children is rounded out with informative backmatter on one of the planet's most captivating creatures.

Little book of fables

Little Book of Fables is a fresh new retelling of fifteen of Aesop's timeless tales and five more stories that come from other well-known fabulists. Veronica Uribe selected these fables for their inherent charm as amusing and popular stories known to many in one version or another. Young readers will recognize traditional favorites such as "The Fox and the Crow" and "The Shepherd and the Wolf" while other tales such as "The Milkmaid" and "Belling the Cat" may be new to them. The lessons derived from many of these fables have been adopted by cultures the world over and are reflected in familiar sayings such as "Don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg" and "Slow and steady wins the race." Uribe includes fascinating, comprehensive notes at the end of the book describing the life history of Aesop, the origin of fables and other early fabulists, and fables as morality tales. Beautifully retold and humorously illustrated, this collection of fables is a delightful addition to the Little Book series.

New Children's Fiction

Code talker by Joseph Bruchac.

Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years.
But now Joseph Bruchac brings their stories to life for young adults through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. This deeply affecting novel honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve, and it honors the culture and language of the Navajo Indians.

Mad Cat by Kathy Mackel.


MadCat Campione is the best twelve-year-old catcher in New Hampshire..

And this year her fastpitch softball team, the Norwich Sting, is going National. They'll be shooting to make the National Fastpitch Softball World Series, playing against the best teams from around the country. MadCat is thrilled.

But going National isn't quite what MadCat expected. Almost half the girls from the Sting—girls who have played together for years—have been cut to make room for hotshots from nearby towns. Their coach tells them the most important thing is to play to win. MadCat's best friend, Jess, isn't fun anymore: all she can think about is beating the competition, both inside and outside the team. Things are getting tenser and tenser.

The Sting's winning all their games; they're sure to make it to the big time. They know nothing can stop them, not when their motto is Eating Dirt Is Better Than Losing. But is winning really more important than anything? Or will all their victories just add up to nothing?

Tiger by Jeff Stone.

Twelve-year-old Fu and his temple brothers Malao, Seh, Hok, and Long don't know who their parents were. Raised from infancy by their grandmaster, they think of their temple as their home and their fellow warrior monks as their family. Then one terrible night, the temple is destroyed by an army led by a former monk named Ying, whose heart is bent on revenge. Fu and his brothers are the only survivors. Charged by their grandmaster to uncover the secrets of their past, the five flee into the countryside and go their separate ways. Somehow, Grandmaster has promised, their pasts are connected to Ying's. Understanding that the past is the key to shaping the future, the first book in the series follows Fu as he struggles to find out more and prove himself in the process. Fu's name literally means "tiger," for he is the youngest-ever master of the fierce fighting style modeled after that animal.

Whales on stilts by M. T. Anderson.

What sort of madman would unleash an army of stilt-walking, laser-beaming, thoroughly angry whales upon the world? Who cares! All that matters is that his dastardly plan be foiled. Lucky for Lily Gefelty, her two best friends are the stars of their own middle-grade series of novels: Jasper Dash (better known as the Boy Technonaut) and Katie Mulligan (beloved by millions as the heroine of the Horror Hollow series). It's going to take all their smarts to stop this insane, inane plot from succeeding.

This first installment of a riotous and wonderfully weird new series marks the Harcourt debut of award-winning author M. T. Anderson. With Whales on Stilts, he's entering new territory, creating a smart, sassy, and self-aware comedy that fans of Lemony Snicket will snicker and snort over.

New Fiction

True believer by Nicholas Sparks.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks comes a love story that explores the deepest mysteries of all-those of the heart.

As a science journalist with a regular column in Scientific American, Jeremy Marsh specializes in debunking the supernatural and has a real nose for the strange and unusual. A born skeptic, he travels to the small town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, determined to find the real cause behind the ghostly apparitions that appear in the town cemetery. What he doesn't plan on, however, is meeting and falling hopelessly in love with Lexie Darnell, granddaughter of the town psychic. Now, if the young lovers are to have any kind of future at all, Jeremy must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows, or do something he could never do before-take a giant leap of faith.

A story about taking chances and following your heart, TRUE BELIEVER will make you, too, believe in the miracle of love.

The year of pleasures by Elizabeth Berg.

Betta Nolan moves to a small town after the death of her husband to try to begin anew. Pursuing a dream of a different kind of life, she is determined to find pleasure in her simple daily routines. Among those who help her in both expected and unexpected ways are the ten-year-old boy next door, three wild women friends from her college days, a twenty-year-old who is struggling to find his place in the world, and a handsome man who is ready for love. Elizabeth Berg's The Year of Pleasures is about acknowledging the solace found in ordinary things: a warm bath, good food, the beauty of nature, music, friends, and art.

New Large Print

True believer by Nicholas Sparks.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks comes a love story that explores the deepest mysteries of all-those of the heart.

As a science journalist with a regular column in Scientific American, Jeremy Marsh specializes in debunking the supernatural and has a real nose for the strange and unusual. A born skeptic, he travels to the small town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, determined to find the real cause behind the ghostly apparitions that appear in the town cemetery. What he doesn't plan on, however, is meeting and falling hopelessly in love with Lexie Darnell, granddaughter of the town psychic. Now, if the young lovers are to have any kind of future at all, Jeremy must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows, or do something he could never do before-take a giant leap of faith.

A story about taking chances and following your heart, TRUE BELIEVER will make you, too, believe in the miracle of love.

Ya-Yas in bloom by Rebecca Wells.

YA-YAS IN BLOOM reveals the roots of the Ya-Yas' friendship in the 1930s and roars with all the raw power of Vivi Abbott Walker's 1962 T-Bird through sixty years of marriage, child-raising, and hair-raising family secrets.

The year of pleasures by Elizabeth Berg.

Betta Nolan moves to a small town after the death of her husband to try to begin anew. Pursuing a dream of a different kind of life, she is determined to find pleasure in her simple daily routines. Among those who help her in both expected and unexpected ways are the ten-year-old boy next door, three wild women friends from her college days, a twenty-year-old who is struggling to find his place in the world, and a handsome man who is ready for love. Elizabeth Berg's The Year of Pleasures is about acknowledging the solace found in ordinary things: a warm bath, good food, the beauty of nature, music, friends, and art.

New Paperbacks

Full bloom by Janet Evanovich.

The temperature's on "sizzle" again in Beaumont, South Carolina, where peach trees are in season and ripe for the picking. So is its newest entrepreneur, Annie Fortenberry, a divorcee who inherited her grandmother's Queen Ann mansion (and its wacky handyman Erdle Thorney). According to a local psychic, she also inherited a spirit from its glory days as a brothel - not the kind of publicity the Peach Tree Bed & Breakfast needs if it's hosting millionaire Max Holt's upcoming wedding! If rumors of x-rated ghosts aren't stressful enough, Max's new partner has arrived with an eye on Annie's master suite.

On the inside Wes Bridges may be corporate, but on the outside he's leather and denim, sporting a two-day beard, straddling a Harley, and sending the B&B's testosterone level through the roof. Annie's cool demeanor may be dropping as fast as Wes's jeans, but leave it to her ex to dampen the passion! His body's been discovered buried on the grounds along with a stash of illicit love letters and a photograph of one of the town's most prominent married ladies. Wrapped up in a murder plot, Annie must find the killer, save her own neck, and get back to where she was - wrapped up in Wes's strong loving arms...

Josie Day is coming home by Lisa Plumley.

Vegas showgirl Josie Day saves the life of a wealthy casino owner, who rewards her with a "spare" estate in Arizona--ironically located in Josie's hometown. Josie plans to sell it and open a dance school. But she must first handle the caretaker, local bad boy Luke Donovan.

Mr. Impossible by Loretta Lynda Chase.

Blame it on the Egyptian sun or the desert heat, but as tensions flare between a reckless rogue and beautiful scholar en route to foil a kidnapping, so does love, in the most uninhibited and impossibly delightful ways.

New Fiction

The chairman by Stephen W. Frey.

A towering legend among New York private equity partnerships, Everest Capital is aptly named. When its founder meets an untimely death, thirty-six-year-old superstar Christian Gillette gets the top job. But with the power and prestige come risks. The day he narrowly escapes a fiery explosion that consumes his limo and takes two innocent lives, Gillette instantly understands how intense those risks are." "It comes as no surprise to him that he has enemies in the world of multibillion-dollar deals. But now that he controls Everest, he's not going to let those enemies keep him from taking the firm - and himself - to even greater heights. Gillette has never hesitated to be aggressive, even ruthless, in pursuit of success. This time will be no exception. But in order to forge the alliances necessary to achieve his goals, Gillette forsakes a cardinal rule: Never trust anyone. Soon the only certainties are the insidious campaign of corporate sabotage that could cost Gillette his job and the relentless assassination attempts that could cost him his life. To break a deadly conspiracy of greed, he'll be forced to walk - then run - an ever-blurring line between loyalty and betrayal, attack and retreat, survival and destruction... in the ultimate game of profit and loss.

The good wife by Stewart O'Nan.

On a clear winter night in upstate New York, two young men break in to a house they believe is empty. It isn't, and within minutes an old woman is dead and the house is in flames. Soon after, the men are caught by the police. Across the county, a phone rings in a darkened bedroom, waking a pregnant woman. It's her husband. He wants her to know that he and his friend have gotten themselves into a little trouble. So Patty Dickerson's old life ends and a strange new one begins.

At once a love story and a portrait of a woman discovering her own strength, The Good Wife follows Patty through the twenty-eight years of her husband's incarceration, as she raises her son, navigates a system that has no place for her, and braves the scorn of her community. Compassionate and unflinching, The Good Wife illuminates a marriage and a family tested to the limits of endurance.

The sacrifice by Beverly Lewis.

Before she can be courted, tragedy befalls Leah, forcing her to choose between her happiness and her family.

Saturday by Ian McEwan.

Saturday is a novel set within a single day in February 2003. Henry Perowne is a contented man — a successful neurosurgeon, happily married to a newspaper lawyer, and enjoying good relations with his children, who are young adults. Henry wakes to the relative comfort of his home on this, his day off. He is almost as comfortable here as he is in the operating room. Outside the hospital, the world is not so easy or predictable. There is an impending war against Iraq, and a general darkening and gathering pessimism since the New York and Washington attacks two years before and his children are now grown and making their way into this world as adults. On this particular Saturday morning, Perowne’s day moves through the ordinary to the extraordinary: from an unusual sighting in the early morning sky to his usual squash game, and from trying to avoid the hundreds of thousands of war protestors filling the streets of London, to a seemingly minor car accident. Ian McEwan has written a masterful novel that keeps you balanced on the edge of your seat as Perowne’s happy safe world is unexpectedly shattered. At the heart of this extraordinary novel is the acute awareness of the details of our relationships, of life and of love, and the unforeseen violence that can threaten our peace.

New Mysteries

Crazy eights: a Jake Hines Mystery by Elizabeth Gunn.

For Jake Hines, Captain of Detectives in Rutherford, Minnesota, the fact that Benny Niemeyer was found not guilty of murder is an almost personal insult. He'd spent months developing the case, Benny's attorney almost sleepwalked through the trial, and the DA had done a great job, even if several key witnesses had either disappeared or developed courtroom amnesia. Even so, when Benny is found dead two nights later, and it's clear there was nothing natural about his demise, Jake does what he has to do. At first there are more questions than answers, more blind alleys and stone walls than a growing city like Rutherford should have. But detectives follow leads, no matter how ridiculous they appear; after all, what could missing silver at the Aldrich estate have to do with the death of a lowlife thug? What could the death of a prisoner in Stillwater have to do with a missing Beretta in Rutherford? But Jake pieces together this puzzle meticulously, because even a killer deserves justice.

In a dark house by Deborah Crombie.

An abandoned warehouse burns next door to a women's shelter for victims of spousal abuse, an apparent case of arson. But it is the charred corpse within - a female body burned beyond all recognition - combined with the political sensitivity of the case, that entangles Superintendent Duncan Kincaid in its twisted skein. At the same time, Kincaid's lover and former partner, Gemma James, is coping with twin crises of her own, one personal and the other professional. Gemma must put her private concerns aside to investigate the disappearance of a hospital administrator, a beautiful, emotionally fragile young woman who vanished without a trace. Yet neither Gemma nor Kincaid realizes how closely their cases are connected - or how important the resolutions will be for a young child who was a victim of parental abduction.

Long Spoon Lane by Anne Perry.

Early one morning, Thomas Pitt, dauntless mainstay of the Special Branch, is summoned to Long Spoon Lane, where anarchists are plotting an attack. Bombs explode, destroying the homes of many poor people. After a chase, two of the culprits are captured and the leader is shot ... but by whom? As Pitt delves into the case, he finds that there is more to the terrorism than the destructive gestures of misguided idealists. The police are running a lucrative protection racket, and clues suggest that Inspector Wetron of Bow Street is the mastermind. As the shadowy leader of the Inner Circle, Wetron is using his influence with the press to whip up fears of more attacks - and to rush a bill through Parliament that would severely curtail civil liberties. This would make him the most powerful man in the country. To defeat Wetron, Pitt finds that he must run in harness with his old enemy, Sir Charles Voisey, and the unlikely allies are joined by Pitt's clever wife, Charlotte, and her great aunt, Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould. As they strive to prevent future destruction, nothing less than the fate of the British Empire hangs in precarious balance. Can they prevail?

Murder at Five Finger Light: a Jessie Arnold mystery by Sue Henry.

Sled dog racer Jessie Arnold stars in a series that's "suspenseful, intelligent, and filled with the spectacular beauty of the northern wilds" (Dallas Morning News). Her friends, Laurie and Jim, have acquired their dream-an old lighthouse on the Alaskan Inside Passage-and invited everyone to a party. Not a party in the typical sense, but one where guests earn their keep by restoring the old building. With the company of old friends, the smell of fresh paint, and a view to die for, this is one weekend Jessie won't soon forget-especially when a guest ends up dead. At first, the death seems like an accident, but when someone cuts the phone and radio connections, Jessie realizes there's a killer loose on the island.

New Romance

The goddess rules by Clare Naylor.

When obsessed pet owners have pooches or kitties they want immortalized on canvas, Kate Disney is the artist of choice. From her shed (which doubles as a studio and apartment) in London's Primrose Hill, Kate caters to the whims of the rich and famous while herself living a decidedly bohemian existence. The problem is, she has a tendency to cater to her on-again, way-off-again boyfriend as well. Jake is so erratic, that most of her friends don't understand why she even bothers. But it's hard to fall out of love with a man who writes her songs and calls her Angel—even if he disappears for weeks at a time.

Luckily for Kate, Mirabelle Moncur isn't buying any of that claptrap. Mirri was an actress, a legend in her time. Now, at age sixty, she's given up on fame and men and lives in Africa, where she raises lion cubs. But her reclusive nature has done nothing to dull her beauty, mar her incredible figure, or dampen her outrageous joie de vivre.

After sweeping into London to have Kate paint a portrait of her favorite cub, Mirri seizes hold of Kate's life—from the baggy wardrobe to the hopeless taste in men. Under Mirri's tutelage, Kate learns to dance on tables with abandon, drink like a dockworker, and flirt like a goddess. And when her old friend Louis reenters the picture, she begins to see things in a whole new light. But Mirri has secrets that hint at a less than divine future. Now it's Kate's turn to teach Mirri a thing or two about life, love, and being fabulous.

Simply unforgettable by Mary Balogh.

New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh returns to the seductive world she knows so well-Regency England-in a new novel filled with her trademark wit, sensuality, and breathtaking storytelling. With this, the first in a dazzling new quartet of novels, Balogh invites us into a special world-a select academy for young ladies-a world of innocence and temptation. Drawing us into the lives of four women, teachers at Miss Martin's School for Girls, Balogh introduces this novel's marvelous heroine: music teacher Frances Allard-and the man who seduces her with a passion no woman could possibly forget. . . .

April 19, 2005

New Teen Fiction

An order of Amelie, hold the fries by Nina Schindler.

Seventeen-year-old Tim is smitten when he glimpses the girl of his dreams. But who is she? When her name and address falls from her bag, he can't believe his luck.
Tim boldly writes to his fantasy woman. But to his surprise, the address belongs to someone else: Amelie. She writes Tim back to say she's hardly the girl he spotted: she's not beautiful, she's two years his senior, and she's as good as engaged. Intrigued by her wit, and pumped by the challenge, Tim tries to convince Amelie to meet him. A series of humorous and sarcastic exchanges begin. Through emails and letters, scratchings on take-out containers, and scrawlings on news clippings, the relationship grows. The unstoppable energy and optimism in the letters are conveyed through the inventive lay-out devoting one page to each message.

Royally jacked by Niki Burnham.

In less than a week, 15-year-old Valerie's mother announces that she is gay and her father is given a new job as protocol chief for the royal family of an obscure European country. Opting to go with her father, Valerie learns this is a mistake.

Tithe: a modern faerie tale by Holly Black.

Sixteen-year-old Kaye, who has been visited by faeries since childhood, discovers that she herself is a magical faerie creature with a special destiny.

New Mysteries

Cut and run by Ridley Pearson.

From the bestselling author of "The Body of David Hayes," this spellbinding thriller pits a U.S. federal marshal against the mob's most resourceful killer, in a race to save the woman he loves.

The serpent on the crown by Elizabeth Peters.

Once again the incomparable New York Times bestselling master of suspense, Elizabeth Peters, brings an exotic world of adventure, intrigue, and danger to vivid life, in a tale as exciting, mysterious, and powerful as ancient Egypt.

New Fiction

Dear Zoe by Philip Beard.

Beard's stunning debut is an epistolary novel written from fifteen-year-old Tess DeNunzio to her little sister Zoe. After Zoe's accidental death on September 11, 2001—a day so many others died—Tess's family is numbed by their personal tragedy. Already acutely aware of her odd place in a home where her mother and stepfather now have children of their own, Tess begins her letter as a means of figuring out her own life—from her two-hour-a-day hair and makeup ritual to her complicity in Zoe's death. Only after she moves in with her real father, a well-intentioned deadbeat, and stumbles into a halting romance with the sweet but aimless boy next door, does Tess begin to open her heart once more.

The ice queen by Alice Hoffman.

Be careful what you wish for. A woman who was touched by tragedy as a child now lives a quiet life, keeping other people at a cool distance. She even believes she wants it that way. Then one day she utters an idle wish and, while standing in her house, is struck by lightning. But instead of ending her life, this cataclysmic event sparks a strange and powerful new beginning.

Miss Julia's school of beauty by Ann B. Ross.

Hazel Marie is organizing a beauty pageant to raise money for the sheriff's department and enlists Miss Julia's help in teaching the contestants etiquette and poise.

Ya-Yas in bloom by Rebecca Wells.

For readers everywhere who are ga-ga for the Ya-Yas and clamoring for more and for those who are lucky enough to be discovering the Ya-Yas for the first time, comes a new book about the incomparable Sisterhood, bursting with life and funnier than ever.... An emotionally charged addition to Rebecca Wells' award-winning bestseller Little Altars Everywhere and #1 New York Times bestseller Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, YA-YAS IN BLOOM reveals the roots of the Ya-Yas' friendship in the 1930s and roars with all the raw power of Vivi Abbott Walker's 1962 T-Bird through sixty years of marriage, child-raising, and hair-raising family secrets. When four-year-old Teensy Whitman prisses one time too many and stuffs a big old pecan up her nose, she sets off the chain of events that lead Vivi, Teensy, Caro, and Necie to become true sister-friends. Told in alternating voices of Vivi and the Petite Ya-Yas, Siddalee and Baylor Walker, as well as other denizens of Thornton, Louisiana, YA-YAS IN BLOOM show us the Ya-Yas in love and at war with convention. Through crises of faith and hilarious lapses of parenting skills, brushes with alcoholism and glimpses of the dark reality of racial bigotry, the Ya-Ya values of unconditional loyalty, high style, and Cajun sass shine through. Necies wise credo, "Just think pretty pink and blue thoughts," helps too... But in the Ya-Yas' inimitable way, these four remarkable women also teach their children about the Mysteries: the wonder of snow in the deep South, the possibility that humans are made of stars, and the belief that miracles do happen. And they need a miracle when old grudges and wounded psyches lead to a heartbreaking crime...and the dynamic web of sisterhood is the only safety net strong enough to hold families together and endure. After two bestsellers and a blockbuster movie, the Ya-Yas have become part of American culture -- icons for the power of women's friendship. YA-YAS IN BLOOM continues the saga, giving us more Ya-Ya lore, spun out in the rich patois of the Louisiana bayou country and brim full of the Ya-Ya message to embrace life and each other with joy.

New Teen Fiction

Peach Girl: Change of heart by Miwa Ueda.

Manga

Stained by Jennifer Richard Jacobson.

New Picture Books

Michael Rosen's Sad Book by Michael Rosen.

Sad things happen to everyone, and sometimes people feel sad for no reason at all. What makes Michael Rosen sad is thinking about his son, Eddie, who died suddenly at the age of eighteen. In this book the author writes about his sadness, how it affects him, and some of the things he does to cope with it-like telling himself that everyone has sad stuff (not just him) and trying every day to do something he can be proud of. Expressively illustrated by the extraordinary Quentin Blake, this is a very personal story that speaks to everyone, from children to parents to grandparents, teachers to grief counselors. Whether or not you have known what it's like to feel deeply sad, the truth of this book will surely touch you.

The story of the Easter Bunny by Katherine Brown Tegen.

A little rabbit watches an old couple paint eggs, make chocolate, and braid baskets for the village children at Easter, and he eventually becomes the Easter Bunny.

New Nonfiction

Classic Wisconsin Weekends by Michael Bie.

Great Wisconsin Taverns: over 101 distinctive Badger bars by Dennis Boyer.

Picture framing: for the first time by Lee Bartholomew.


April 14, 2005

New Fiction

As hot as it was, you ought to thank me by Nanci Kincaid.

Pinetta is the kind of small southern town where not much happens in a day but a lot can happen in a summer. As Hot As It Was You Ought to Thank Me tells the story of the long, hot summer when Berry's father disappears, her mother lusts after the preacher, and a handsome convict comes to town to repair the dusty roads damaged by a hurricane.

The center of winter by Marya Hornbacher.

At the center of winter, in Motley, Minnesota, Arnold Schiller gives in to the oppressive season that reigns outside and also to his own inner demons -- he commits suicide, leaving a devastated family in his wake.

Claire Schiller, wife and mother, takes shelter from the emotional storm with her husband's parents but must ultimately emerge from her grief and help her two young children to recover. Esau, her oldest, is haunted by the same darkness that plagued his father. At twelve years old, he has already been in and out of state psychiatric hospitals, and now, with the help of his mother and sister, he must overcome the forces that drive him deep into himself. But as the youngest, perhaps it is Katie who carries the heaviest burden. A precocious six-year-old who desperately wants to help her mother hold the family together, she will have to come to terms with the memory of her father, who was at once loving and cruel.

Narrated alternately by Claire, Katie, and Esau, this powerful and passionate novel explores the ways in which both children and adults experience tragic events, discover solace and hope in one another, and survive. The Center of Winter finds humor in unlikely places and evokes the north -- its people and landscape -- with warmth, sensitivity, and insight. The story of three people who, against all odds, find their way out of the center of winter, Marya Hornbacher's debut novel will leave you breathless, tearful, and ultimately inspired.

The rising: Antichrist is born before they were left behind by Tim F. LaHaye.

Book 13 of the Left Behind series.

Snobs by Julian Fellowes.

Snobs is narrated by a journeyman actor who moves comfortably among the upper classes, while chronicling their foibles. And what a tale he has to tell." "Edith Lavery, the attractive only child of a moderately successful accountant and his social-climbing wife, earns a living answering the telephone in a fashionable Chelsea estate agent. While visiting his parents' house as a member of the public, she meets Charles Broughton, Earl Broughton and heir to the Marquess of Uckfield, who runs the family estates in East Sussex and Norfolk. To the gossip-columns he is one of the most eligible young aristocrats around." "When he proposes Edith accepts. But is she really in love with Charles? Or with his title, his position and all that she thinks goes with it?" "Partaking in events and never shy of commenting is Charles Broughton's mother, the shrewd Lady Uckfield, known to her friends as 'Googie'. Edith, she decides, is a young woman on the make. And when a television company descends on Broughton Hall to make a period drama. 'Googie's' worst fears are fully justified.

Tea house on Mulberry Street by Sharon Owens.

"Maeve Binchy meets Joanna Trollope" ("Irish Independent") in the American debut of the international bestseller. Behind the chocolate cappuccinos at Muldoon's Tea Rooms are the stirrings of a revolution that will heal troubled hearts and reveal to the proprietors what truly matters in life and love.

The three Mrs. Parkers by Joan Medlicott.

New Suspense and Mystery

Drama City by George P. Pelecanos.

In this blistering and soulful novel of the DC underworld, an ex-con finds himself caught between the light and the dark sides of the street after a malevolent young killer spoils his chances to stay straight.

Sleeper by Gene Riehl.

FBI agent Puller Monk is losing his mind. His father passed away six months ago and left him a predisposition for Alzheimer's disease. Add to that a lethal American spy raised by the North Koreans, and Monk's life just got a lot more complicated.

Strange affair by Peter Robinson.

Edgar and Anthony Award-winning author Peter Robinson's fourth book is a gritty tale of brothers at odds and a story of unexpected connections. Alan and Roy Banks were never close. Alan was a normal teenager with a chaotic room and appalling taste in music. Roy was compulsively neat and kept a lock on his toy box. Alan went on to become Detective Chief Inspector Banks, with a solid, if not always shining, police career. And Roy, estranged from his brother, became a wealthy entrepreneur. Then Roy disappears, and Alan's search for him soon confirms his long-held suspicion that Roy has been operating on the shady side of the law.

Unlucky for some by Jill McGown.

Michael Waterman is a self-made millionaire. His casinos and nightclubs ensure a constant flow of cash, and Waterman knows what he needs to do to keep it that way. So far, it seems, he has stayed on the right side of the law. Certainly, no one seriously suspects him of murdering bingo player Wilma Fenton, who was struck down while walking home with a purse crammed full of winnings. Her murder looks like an ordinary mugging, except for one oddity: the killer has left Wilma's money neatly fanned out across her body. The motive behind the bafflingly violent act dogs Lloyd and Hill - now married and the harried parents of a two-year-old daughter. The stakes are raised with a second murder, modeled on the first...and then a third. A cold-blooded killer is challenging not only the police but the one witness to the first slaying: England's premier expert on serial crime, well-known journalist and TV personality Tony Baker. An isolated crime has now become a twisted game of madness and logic - in which failure to outwit the murderer will mean even more senseless deaths.

New Paperbacks

Aunt Dimity, snowbound by Nancy Atherton.

Lori Shepherd and the phantom Aunt Dimity have become one of the mystery genre's mostcelebrated detective duos. In their latest adventure, a pleasant woodland stroll through the English countryside is rudely cut short by the blizzard of the century, forcing Lori to take shelter in Ladythorne Abbey—an old pile still haunted by the presence of the madwoman whose prison it once was. But the abbey's greatest secret is the priceless jewel it conceals somewhere within its cloisters—an heirloom that hides a treacherous past that Lori's fellow guests can't wait to get their hands on. Only Aunt Dimity's indispensable wisdom can help Lori unravel a mystery that is considerably thicker than the accumulating snow in this page-turning treat.

The trouble with Valentine's Day by Rachel Gibson.

The RITA Award-winning author delivers a delightful Valentine's Day present. Dumped by her boyfriend and stressed by her job, Kate Hamilton escapes to tiny Gospel, Idaho. Soon, town gossips whisper about her run-ins with a hunky former athlete.

New Teen Books

Boston Jane: the claim by Jennifer L. Holm.

The arrival from Philadelphia of her spiteful nemesis Sally Biddle and the return of her corrupt ex-fiance Richard Baldt spell trouble for seventeen-year-old Miss Jane Peck, who has survived on her own in Shoalwater Bay, a community of white settlers and Chinook Indians in 1850s Washington Territory.
Sequel to: Boston Jane : wilderness days.

Tales of the vampires

A graphic novel based on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

New Picture Books

Jitterbug jam by Barbara Jean Hicks.

Bobo is a young monster who's afraid to sleep in his own bed. He is sure there is a boy hiding beneath it - a boy with "pink skin and orange fur on his head where his horns should be." Bobo's older brother thinks he's a fraidy-cat, but his grandpa, Boo-Dad, knows all about these fearful creatures. And Boo-Dad knows exactly what to do to scare them away. But after being afraid for so long, Bobo might just want to take matters into his own paws and find out if the creature under his bed really is as bad as he thinks.

Zen shorts by Jon J. Muth.

When Stillwater the bear moves into the neighborhood, the stories he tells to three siblings teach them to look at the world in new ways.

New Nonfiction

100 ways to beat the blues by Tanya Tucker.

Country music legend and bestselling author Tanya Tucker brings together the blues-beating secrets of celebrity friends and down-home acquaintances in an uplifting book that is the perfect pick-me-up. Includes advice from such greats as Garth Brooks, Dennis Hopper, and Gayle Sayers.

Chocolate: the bittersweet saga of dark and light by Mort Rosenblum.

In this narrative, Mort Rosenblum delves into the mysteries of cacao: its history, its legends and lore, the processes that make chocolate. Rosenblum follows the chocolate trail, cooking up mole poblano - chili-laced chicken with chocolate - under a Mexican volcano; visiting plantations during an African rebellion; helping French master chocolatiers make palets d'or - bite-size, gold-flecked bricks of dark chocolate. He probes the empires of Hershey and Godiva, and the closed-door realm of Valrhona. He watches at each step as humble cacao pods on spindly trees in dank jungles end up as creamy mousse au chocolat. He meets with buyers and tasters in the United States and across Europe to discover the diverse trends, demands, and traditions of chocolate lovers. And, along the way, he investigates the bitter fights and rivalries - the dark side of the chocolate trade.

It's my party too: the battle for the heart of the GOP and the Future of America by Christine Todd Whitman.

Whitman takes readers inside the tumultuous world of politics today to reveal how a moderate approach can work wonders, while the arrogant and unyielding bullying of the conservatives only leads to more division.

Mayo Clinic fitness for everybody by Diane Dahm.

Splendid solution: Jonas Salk and the conquest of polio by Jeffry Kluger.

Kluger reveals the thrilling story of Jonas Salk's quest to conquer polio in this medical adventure full of rivalries and last minute reversals that culminated in one of the greatest accomplishments of the 20th century.

Taking heat: the president, the press, and my years in the White House by Ari Fleischer.

Taking Heat is an introspective exploration of the top political events in the first half of the Bush administration, as well as the candid observations of a professional who stood in the bright lights of the world stage.

What we knew: Terror, mass murder, and everyday life in Nazi Germany by Eric A. Johnson.

The horrors of the Nazi regime and the Holocaust still present some of the most disturbing questions in modern history: why did Hitler's party appeal to millions of Germans, and how entrenched was anti-Semitism among the population? How could anyone claim, after the war, that the genocide of Europe's Jews was a secret? Did ordinary non-Jewish Germans live in fear of the Nazi state? In this unprecedented firsthand analysis of daily life as experienced in the Third Reich, What We Knew offers definitive answers to these most important questions.

April 13, 2005

New Children's Easy Reader

Cake cake cake pie by Sally Kahler Phillips.

Simple rhyming text and illustrations depict a silly series of events that keeps a young boy from eating his cake.

New Children's Poetry Books

A maze me by Naomi Shihab Nye.

Looking for jaguar and other rain forest poems by Susan Katz.

Oh no! Where are my pants?

New Children's DVDs

Miffy and Friends: Miffy's playtime

Join Miffy and friends in their playtime fun. In these adventures, Miffy meets a new friend and has fun with old friends. They play hide and seek, visit the playground, play ball, use their imagination to fly, play doctor, and play dress-up with Auntie Alice. They even learn a pot of soup can provide musical fun. All in all, discovering playtime is best spent with friends!

Popular mechanics for kids: Gators & dragons and other wild beasts

Venture into the wild and meet some of the most dangerous animals on the planet. Come face to face with a dragon, learn what it takes to work at the world's coolest zoo's and take a safari through the Everglades.

Popular mechanics for kids: X-treme sports & other action adventures

Takes sports to the extreme! Learn to fly like the wind when you take waterskiing to a whole new level, speed down a hill at lightening speed with no brakes, hit the mountains to meet some Olympic snowboarders and gear up for some off road racing.

New Nonfiction

Controlling your drinking: tools to make moderation work for you by William R. Miller.

Mom, there's a man in the kitchen and he's wearing your robe by Ellie Scott Fisher.

Smashed: story of a drunken girlhood by Koren Zailckas.

From earliest experimentation to full-blown abuse, 24-year-old Zailckas leads readers through her experience of binge drinking in this vivid cautionary tale.

New Fiction