Nov. 18, 2009 Recorded Theater Productions

Recorded Theater Productions

Listen Alaska audiobook download service features audio recordings of live theater productions published by L. A. Theater Works.  The following selections are good stories that are lively, funny, and the settings are easy to imagine.

To go to listenalaska.lib.overdrive.com, click on the Advanced Search option on the sidebar. In the Advanced Search box use the Publisher drop down box.  Select L. A. Theater Works and click on search.  You will get all the audio recordings of theatrical productions published by L. A. Theater Works.  Enjoy!

Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon/Publisher L. A. Theater Works

A brand-new lawyer and his bride have returned from their honeymoon and are moving into their new apartment. Once there, they find the place is bare of furniture, the paint job is wrong, the skylight leaks and wacky neighbors keep popping up! This is a hilarious classic!

Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward/Publisher L. A. Theater Works

This classic comedy is set in the charming home of Charles Condomine, a remarried widower. A witty and convival evening party among friends is transformed when a séance conjures the ghost of Elvira, Charles first wife, who delights in wreaking havoc among the living. This is a delightful comedy!

Anna Christie by Eugene O’Neill/Publisher L. A. Theater Works

The passion of a coal barge captain’s daughter and a rough-hewn sailor takes a tumultuous turn when her secret past is revealed. Nobel laureate Eugene O’Neill won the second of his four Pulitzer Prizes for this heroic classic.

Wild Amerika by Erika Schickel/Publisher L. A. Theater Works

Erika Schickel takes us on a Darwinian exploration of mating, monogamy and motherhood. This hilarious and touching examination of the miracle of human evolution will leave you wondering how we’ve survived as a race!

Nov. 18, 2009 Juvenile Holiday and Snow

Merry Christmas, Splat/Rob Scotton

It’s the night before Christmas, Splat wonders if he’s been a good enough cat this year to deserve a really big present. Just to make sure, he offers some last-minute help to his mom and, in typical Splat fashion, he messes up completely! On Christmas Eve, Splat stays awake hoping to see Santa Claus. But when Splat misses him, he’s sure his Christmas is ruined along with his hopes for a really big present.

Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas/Jane O’Connor, Robin Preiss Glasser

After putting the finishing touches on presents with elegant wrapping paper, festive decorations and Christmas cookies with sprinkles, Nancy is ready for the Christmas tree. She is especially excited about decorating the tree. She bought a brand-new sparkly tree topper with her own money and has been waiting for Christmas to come. But when things don’t turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous? In this merriest of stories, Nancy proves once again that a little fancying up can go a long, festive way!

The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story/Neil Waldman

The Snowflake shows the water cycle in a totally unique way. Instead of a simple chart, this book depicts the cycle in the form of a beautiful picture book. The arrows showing how water goes from earth to cloud and back again are replaced by a narrative that traces a single snowflake through an entire year. Each month’s transformation is illustrated with an exquisite watercolor painting. This book will make the concept of the water cycle clear to youngsters as they watch a single water droplet freeze, melt, evaporate, condense, and then freeze again. This imaginative presentation might lead some to rightly wonder where that drink of water they are taking from the sink could once have been.

Snow/Cynthia Rylant, Lauren Stringer

Snow is a little essay written as a poem. It muses on what snow is to us, and us to it. Soft snow, heavy snow, light snow, fat snow, which one do you love best?

Nov 10, 09 Large Print – YA & Juvenile

Water Street/Patricia Reilly Giff

This heartwarming novel continues the saga begun in Nory Ryan’s Song and Maggie’s Door. With the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge as background, the story is told from the alternating perspectives of Bridget (Bird) Mallon and Thomas Neary, from the time that they are nearly 13 until they are 14.  A strong friendship develops between the young teens. The creation of the bridge looms as a dream that parallels the dreams of the characters. Bird, a bright, sensitive girl, wants to follow in her mothers path and become a healer, but she discovers that the road is not without obstacles. Thomas dreams of becoming a writer and of having a family like the Mallons. [YA GIF]

Children of the Lamp: The Blue Dijnn

John and Philippa Gaunt, twelve-year-old twins who have recently discovered themselves to be descended from a long line of djinn and in possession of magical powers, continue on their extraordinary adventures in this sequel to The Akhenaten Adventure.  When a powerful book of djinn magic goes missing, John and Philippa are called upon to retrieve it.  Only the book isn’t really missing.  The trap was set and Philippa is abducted by the Blue Djinn.  John and his uncle Nimrod must find Philippa before it’s too late. [J KER]

Children of the Lamp: The Cobra King of Kathmandu

This third installment in the series finds 12-year-old djinn twins Philippa and John embarking on a harrowing journey to Northern India and Nepal in search of the long-lost and powerful talisman, the Cobra King of Kathmandu. The twins believe that it holds the answers to certain mysterious deaths and hope to find it before it falls into the hands of the malevolent cult of the Nine Cobras, led by the egomaniac Guru Masamjhasara, who seeks to profit from controlling and selling djinn power. However, the siblings soon find themselves imprisoned by the deadly cult and must rely upon their wits and a generous helping of good fortune to survive. [J KER]

Masterpiece/Elise Broach
This inventive mystery involves two families that inhabit the same Manhattan apartment:  the Pompadays (a slick, materialistic couple, their infant son and thoughtful James, from the wife’s previous marriage) and a family of beetles who live behind the kitchen sink.  Careful though the beetles are to stay hidden, boy beetle Marvin crosses the line, tempted by a pen-and-ink set James receives for his 11th birthday. Marvin draws an intricate picture and then identifies himself to a delighted James as the artist. Before James can hide Marvin’s picture, Mrs. Pompaday proclaims her son’s talent. A trip to a Dürer exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art follows, with James stowing Marvin in a pocket. [J BRO]

The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio/Lloyd Alexander

A beautiful Kirkassi girl, cold-eyed villains, smiling killers, and a bazaar merchant peddling slightly used dreams – could any young adventurer ask for more? Not Carlo Chuchio, who is seeking hidden treasure on the legendary Road of Golden Dreams.

With Baksheesh, the world’s worst camel-puller, Carlo leads a caravan through the realm of Keshavar.  Robbed of all but his underwear, mistaken for a mighty warrior and then for a crown prince, Carlo risks his life for a prize that may not even exist. [J ALE]

Nov. 7, 2009 Juvenile Holiday Books

Two Bad Pilgrims/Kathryn Lasky, John Manders

Everybody knows about the Pilgrims—pious, sober voyagers who sought new lives in the New World. But two very bad Pilgrims have been largely forgotten by history, and they are ready to tell their story! Real-life boys, Francis and Johnny Billington, nearly blew up the Mayflower, got kidnapped by Indians, and wreaked havoc wherever they went. Learn about the lives of America’s first troublemakers, as well as tons of fascinating Pilgrim facts with kid-friendly humor and energetic comic book–style art in this irreverent book that is part history, part parody, and all comedy.

Turkey Trouble/Wendi Silvano, Lee Harper

Turkey is in trouble. It’s close to Thanksgiving and Farmer Jake is looking for him. But Turkey has a plan. What if he didn’t look like a turkey? What if he looked like a horse?  Wearing a saddle  with a horse brush tied to the back of his head, he looks “just like a horse… almost.” His subsequent farm animal disguises (as a cow, pig, sheep, among others) are equally ineffective. Turkey goes with a goofy gag for his final costume. Find out what happens to this thoroughly creative turkey.

The Snow Show: With Chef Kelvin/Carolyn Fisher

Tune into The Snow Show to see Chef Kelvin and his trusty sous-chefs, Snow White and Jack Frost, investigate evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, all while cooking up the lightest, fluffiest batch of snow ever to fall from the sky. This is one snowy science-filled cooking extravaganza that will make kids wish every day were a snow day!

The Secret of Santa’s Island/Steve Breen

How do Santa and the elves relax after they’ve delivered all of the Christmas Eve gifts? When Sam McGuffin hears the sound of reindeer hooves on Christmas Eve, he can’t resist sneaking out the window and into the back of Santa’s sleigh. He wants to see what the North Pole is really like. But the sleigh isn’t headed to the North Pole that night. It’s destined for Santa’s Island, a top-secret, out-of-this-world vacation paradise. And now Sam is about to receive the ultimate gift from Santa—a day of unforgettable amusements with Santa and his elves—all because he’ll say something to Santa that no other kid has ever thought to utter. Read this book to find out the secret.

Suzy Goose And The Christmas Star/Petr Horacek

It’s Christmas Eve, and Suzy Goose and her friends are admiring their beautifully decorated tree. It’s perfect except for one thing: a star for the top. But Suzy sees just the right one, high in the sky, and no one can stop her from trying every possible way to get it! Bold, expressive illustrations follow the charmingly single-minded goose in a new adventure, a tale of seasonal magic found in surprising places.

The Wee Christmas Cabin/Margaret Hodges, Kimberly Bulcken Root

All of her life Oona dreams of having a cabin of her own. Left on a doorstep as a baby, she grows to be the prettiest, gentlest lass in the county; but no lad will marry the daughter of traveling tinkers. So Oona moves from cabin to cabin, helping wherever there is trouble or need. When the Great Famine comes and the last of the potatoes are eaten, Oona knows she must leave. She sets out on a snowy Christmas Eve, bidding a silent farewell to the village. She drifts off to sleep under a thornbush. But the magic of a white Christmas awaits her, as do hundreds of fairies, all wanting to make her dream come true. Readers of all ages will marvel at the intricately detailed artwork in this masterful retelling of a beloved Irish tale.

Looking For Christmas/Peggy Van Gurp

High in the north, in the land of long, dark winters, lives snowman Jowri, who has never celebrated Christmas. This Christmas Eve, however, he resolves to go and make merry, despite being delayed continually throughout his quest by animals who find themselves in troublesome situations. This heartwarming story reminds young and old what Christmas—a time of helping, giving, and forgiving—is all about.

Penny’s Christmas Jar Miracle/Jason F. Wright, Ben Sowards

Penny’s Christmas Jar Miracle is an original story based on the Christmas Jars tradition that has touched hundreds of thousands of lives. Penny Paisley and her family have a special Christmas tradition. All year long they collect their loose change and drop it in a glass jar on the kitchen counter. Then, each December, Penny and her family make their most exciting decision of the year: Who will receive the Paisley Family Christmas Jar? This year, Penny gets to choose what to do with the jar, and she has something special in mind. Read this special story to find out what Penny has in mind.

The Christmas Magic/Lauren Thompson, Jon J. Muth

Far, far North, when the nights are longest and the stars shine brightest, Santa begins to prepare for his big night of giving. He gathers his reindeer, feeds them parsnips and berries, and polishes his bells and his sled. Then lovingly, he chooses toys for every child in the world. For Santa loves them all, and he knows what each child at heart wants most. Then, with the thrum of magic that makes reindeers fly, he spreads the Christmas joy and warmth throughout the world.

A Season of Gifts/Richard Peck

A new family has moved in next door to Mrs. Dowdel—a family in desperate need of her help (whether they realize it or not). There’s twelve-year-old Bob, shy on courage in a town full of bullies; his Elvis-obsessed older sister, Phyllis, who just might be on the verge of spinning out of control; Bob’s little sister, Ruth Ann, ready and waiting for a larger-than-life role model; and even Bob’s two parents, the young minister and his wife, who are amazed to discover that the last house in town might also be the most vital. As Christmas rolls around, the whole family will realize that they’ve found a true home, and a neighbor with remarkable gifts to share.

Oct. 6, 2009 Nonfiction

The Post-American World/Fareed Zakaria

In this masterpiece of insight with great reporting and cultural understanding, Fareed Zakaria explains a future shaped by many emerging power centers. This book isn’t about America’s decline, it’s about how it can deploy its unique strengths to prosper as the rest of the world does so as well. This is a definitive handbook for political and business leaders who want to succeed in a global era.

War On The Middle Class/Lou Dobbs

The middle class has never been so vulnerable. Its every feature is under assault by politicians and the lobbyists who court them, big-business corporations that are sending their jobs overseas, and a media that relies on sensationalism instead of facts when reporting the news. CNN host and commentator Dobbs looks at every aspect of the decline of the middle class—from a lack of political representation to America’s corrupt health-care system—to demonstrate how the gap between America’s newest haves and have-nots is no longer merely financial, but instead includes the erosion of education, employment, government, and community. Dobbs proposes a series of measures to resolve each issue and incite people, whose future is being mortgaged to benefit a powerful few, to preserve their rights and dreams.

The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It, How To Get It Back/Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan, one of the nation’s leading political commentators, makes an impassioned call to rescue conservatism from the corruption of the Republican far right, which has become the first fundamentally religious political party in America. Through an incisive look at the rise of Western fundamentalism, Sullivan argues that conservatives cannot in good conscience keep supporting a party that believes in its own God-given mission to change people’s souls, instead of protecting their liberties. He carefully charts the arguments of the new conservatism, showing why they cannot work in today’s America, why they fail the test of logic and pragmatism, and why they betray the conservative tradition. In this bold and powerful book, Sullivan criticizes our government for acting too often, too quickly, and too expensively. He champions a political philosophy based on skepticism and reason, rather than certainty and fundamentalism. He defends a Christianity that is sincere but not intolerant; and a politics that respects religion by keeping its distance. He also makes a provocative, heartfelt case for a revived conservatism at peace with the modern world, dedicated to restraining government and empowering individuals to live rich and fulfilling lives.

American-Made: The Enduring Legacy Of The WPA: When FDR Put The Nation To Work/Nick Taylor

Launched in 1935, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) served as a linchpin of FDR’s “New Deal.” Through the WPA, Roosevelt put millions of unemployed Americans to work on public construction projects, from dams and courthouses to parks and roads. The WPA’s Federal Writers Project employed a host of artists and writers, theater and musical artists. Taylor vividly and painstakingly paints the full story of the WPA from its inception to its shutdown by Congress in 1943, at which point the war boom in manufacturing had made it unnecessary. In an eloquent and balanced appraisal, Taylor not only chronicles the WPA’s numerous triumphs but also its failures, most notably graft and other chicanery at the local level. Taylor also details the dicey intramural politics in Congress over which states and districts would get the largest slice of the WPA pie.

The Busy Family’s Guide To Money/Sandra Block, Kathy Chu, John Waggoner

Find out what you need to know to get a handle on family finances and make the most of your income. Drawing on the experience and insights of three USA TODAY financial writers, this book covers how to: start saving now, get the best mortgage, simplify investing and avoid mistakes, get tax breaks by saving for college, and how to teach kids to handle money. You’ll also find out how to claim kids as tax breaks, deal with major one-time expenses, save for retirement and protect your loved ones with basic legal documents. This book is filled with helpful charts, checklists and the ever-popular USA TODAY Snapshots.

In An Uncertain World/Robert E. Rubin

Robert Rubin was sworn in as the seventieth U.S. Secretary of the Treasury in January 1995 in a brisk ceremony attended only by his wife and a few colleagues. As soon as the ceremony was over, he began an emergency meeting with President Bill Clinton on the financial crisis in Mexico. This was not only a harbinger of things to come during what would prove to be a rocky period in the global economy; it also captured the essence of Rubin himself—short on formality, quick to get into the nitty-gritty. From his early years in the storied arbitrage department at Goldman Sachs to his current position as chairman of the executive committee of Citigroup, Robert Rubin has been a major figure at the center of the American financial system. He was a key player in the longest economic expansion in U.S. history. Rubin offers a shrewd, keen analysis of some of the most important events in recent American history and presents a clear, consistent approach to thinking about markets and dealing with the new risks of the global economy. Part political memoir, part prescriptive economic analysis, and part personal look at business problems, In an Uncertain World is a deep examination of Washington and Wall Street by a figure who for three decades has been at the center of both worlds.

Sept. 12, 2009 Crochet

Creative Crochet Lace: A Freeform Look At Classic Crochet/Myra Wood

Learn a new freeform approach to traditional crochet openwork techniques that’s easier than you can imagine! You’ll discover five methods of crocheting lace done with a creative and fluid approach to create wonderful wearables, accessories and anything else you can imagine. No patterns necessary! First you’ll discover the origins of crochet lace and then each freeform method, modified from a classic style, is explained in detail. All the basics you need to know including which materials to use, how to pick yarns and fibers, and which hooks work best are explained too. There is also an in-depth discussion about “Lace Logic” and how different stitches and yarns work together. The project section goes into detail about the process used for making the pieces along with photos of the works in progress. Templates are included for many of the projects to give you a good understanding of the creative approach. Along with these excellent examples, designed to spark your imagination, there is a gorgeous gallery of fellow crochet artists’ works. You’ll also find inspiring photos of flowers and gardens to get your creative juices flowing. This book is clearly written with lots of beautiful photos to help get you started on your Creative Crochet Lace adventure.

Donna Kooler’s Encyclopedia Of Crochet/Donna Kooler

Produced by the Kooler Design Studio, this authoritative encyclopedia of crochet credits a number of well-known designers and writers in the field for its contents, including Nancy Nehring, Gwen Blakley Kinsler, Melissa Leapman, Ann E. Smith, and Kathleen Power Johnson. It includes a beautifully illustrated and footnoted history of crochet, instruction in basic crochet techniques for both left- and right-handed learners, detailed information on the abbreviations and chart symbols used in crochet patterns, instruction in specialty and thread crochet techniques, a selection of illustrative projects for crocheters with beginner to advanced skills, and a crochet pattern gallery. The gorgeous, elaborately detailed “Philosopher’s Coat” pattern for advanced crocheters shows the art of crochet at its best, while the information included on wire crochet and crocheting socks is difficult to find in other crochet handbooks.

Tunisian Crochet: The Look Of Knitting With The Ease Of Crocheting/Sharon Hernes Silverman

Tunisian crochet combines the ease of crocheting with the appearance of knitting. This instructional pattern book brings Tunisian crochet into the realm of high fashion with exquisite stitch patterns, meticulous shaping, and attractive finishing. Detailed instructions with full-color photographs and illustrations teach the art of Tunisian crochet. Sixteen chic projects for apparel, accessories, and home decor are explained in detail. Readers will learn how to make wearable items such as a chain mail scarf, child’s jumper, honeycomb skirt, and a man’s vest. Home decor projects include an ottoman cover, placemats, afghan, pillow, and more.

September 2, 2009 Listen Alaska Audio Book and Music Download Service

Listen Alaska Audio Book and Music Download Service

Homer Public Library announces its Listen Alaska Digital Catalog membership.  You can browse and download the following popular types of audio books and music anytime, day or night:

• OverDrive WMA Audiobooks
• OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks
• OverDrive Music

What do you need to get started?

• A valid library card and PIN number
• Internet access
• A computer or device that meets the system requirements for the type(s) of digital materials you wish to check out
• Free software for the computer or device on which you wish to use the materials available at this site

Look for the Listen Alaska icon located on the Homer Public Library  website or go directly to http://listenalaska.lib.overdrive.com.

Give it a try, it’s all at your fingertips!

Aug 25, 09 Large Print – YA & Juvenile

Young Adult novels in Large Print

The Giver/Lois Lowry

Jonas’s world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back as he discovers the truth about the society he lives in. [YA LOW]

Found/Margaret Peterson Haddix

Thirteen-year-old Jonah has always known that he was adopted, and he’s never thought it was any big deal. Then he and a new friend, Chip, who’s also adoped, begin receiving mysterious letters. The first one says, “You are one of the missing.” The second one says, “Beware! They’re coming back to get you.”

Jonah, Chip, and Jonah’s sister, Katherine, are plunged into a mystery that involves the FBI, a vast smuggling operation, an airplane that appeared out of nowhere — and people who seem to appear and disappear at will. The kids discover they are caught in a battle between two opposing forces that want very different things for Jonah and Chip’s lives. [YA HAD]

What the Moon Saw/Laura Resau

Clara Luna’s name means “clear moon” in Spanish. But lately, her head has felt anything but clear. One day a letter comes from Mexico, written in Spanish: Dear Clara, We invite you to our house for the summer. We will wait for you on the day of the full moon, in June, at the Oaxaca airport. Love, your grandparents.

Fourteen-year-old Clara has never met her father’s parents. She knows he snuck over the border from Mexico as a teenager, but beyond that, she knows almost nothing about his childhood. When she agrees to go, she’s stunned by her grandparents’ life: they live in simple shacks in the mountains of southern Mexico, where most people speak not only Spanish, but an indigenous language, Mixteco. [YA RES]

The Sacrifice/Kathleen Benner Duble

In the year 1692, life changes forever for ten-year-old Abigail Faulkner and her family. In Salem, Massachusetts, witches have been found and widespread fear and panic reign mere miles from Abigail’s home of Andover. When two girls are brought from Salem to identify witches in Andover, suspicion sweeps the town as well-respected members of the community are accused of witchcraft. It isn’t long before chaos consumes Andover, and the Faulkners find themselves in the center of it all when friend turns themselves in the center of it all when friend turns against friend, neighbor against neighbor, in a desperate fight for the truth. [YA DUB]

Gulf/Robert Westall

There was always something different about Andy. As a baby, he was a prolific dreamer with an unusual memory for detail. As a young child, his unique blend of curiosity, tenacity, and telepathy evolved into some unusual and unpredictable obsessions. Usually a happy-go-lucky boy, he periodically slipped into odd episodes, such as the time he saw a picture of a starving Ethiopian boy and fell into a trance. At 12, his behavior turns to the bizarre when Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait. Speaking Arabic, sporting a soldier’s haircut, and packing an air rifle, the boy literally takes on the identity of an Iraqi soldier. As the intensity of the Gulf War increases, he slips deeper and deeper into the person of Latif.  [YA WES]

——————————————————-

Juvenile novels in Large Print

Shakespeare’s Secret/Elise Broach

Named after a character in a Shakespeare play, misfit sixth-grader Hero becomes interested in exploring this unusual connection because of a valuable diamond supposedly hidden in her new house, an intriguing neighbor, and the unexpected attention of the most popular boy in school. The clearly explained Much Ado About Nothing connections encourage young readers to explore Shakespeare. The historical references, provided by Hero’s Shakespearean scholar father, reinforce one of the book’s major themes: Reaction to an event is more important than the event. [J BRO]

Football Hero/Tim Green

Ty Lewis can’t believe it when Coach V recruits him for the football team. This is Ty’s big chance to prove how fast he is on the field, get a fresh start in a new school, and be like his older brother, Thane “Tiger” Lewis, who’s about to graduate from college—and is being courted by the NFL.

But Ty’s guardian, Uncle Gus, won’t let him play. Uncle Gus needs Ty to scrub floors and toilets for his cleaning business while he cooks up gambling schemes with the local mob boss, a man called “Lucy.”

When Lucy hears just how famous Ty’s older brother is, he becomes suddenly friendly. Are the questions Lucy is asking Ty really about fantasy football . . . or is the Mafia using Ty to get valuable insider info from his superstar brother? Desperately worried, Ty must come up with a plan to save Thane’s football career—and, ultimately, his life. [J GRE]

Way Down Deep/Ruth White
Although Ruby seemed to just appear out of thin air on the steps of the courthouse on the first day of summer in 1944, no one in Way Down Deep, West Virginia, ever worried too much about where the toddler came from. They figured that if Ruby’s people were dumb enough to lose something as valuable as a child, then that was their problem. So even though Ruby can’t help but wonder where she came from, she has led a joyful and carefree life in Way Down Deep, loved and watched over by Miss Arbutus – proprietor of The Roost, the local boardinghouse – the residents of The Roost, and the rest of the town. But when Ruby is twelve, a new family moves to Way Down Deep, and they inadvertently provide enough clues about Ruby’s past that she is able to find her own people. Ruby travels from Way Down Deep to the top of Yonder Mountain to learn who she really is – only to find that she is bound to Way Down Deep by something even stronger than family ties: love. [J WHI]

Crispin: At the Edge of the World/Avi
He was a nameless orphan, marked for death by his masters for an unknown crime. Discovering his name – Crispin- only intensified the mystery.  Then Crispin met Bear, who helped him learn the secret of his full identity. And in Bear – the enormous, red-bearded juggler, sometime spy, and everyday philosopher – Crispin also found a new father and a new world.

Now Crispin and Bear have set off to live their lives as free men. But they don’t get far before their past catches up with them: Bear is being pursued by members of the secret brotherhood who believe he is an informer. When Bear is badly wounded, it is up to Crispin to make decisions about their future – where to go and whom to trust. [J AVI]

The Dark is Rising/Susan Cooper

When Will Stanton wakes up on the morning of his birthday, he discovers an unbelievable gift — he is immortal. Bemused and terrified, he finds he is the last of the Old Ones, magical men and women sworn to protect the world from the source of evil, the Dark.

At once Will is plunged into a quest to find six magical Signs to aid the powers of the Light.  Six medallions – iron, bronze, wood, water, fire, and stone – created and hidden by the Old Ones centuries ago. But the Dark has sent out the Rider: evil, cloaked in black, mounted upon a midnight stallion, and on the hunt for this youngest Old One, Will. He must find the six great Signs before the Dark can rise, for an epic battle between good and evil approaches. [J COO]

Stealing Freedom/Elisa Carbone
The moment Ann Maria Weems was born, her freedom was stolen from her. Like her family and the other slaves on the farm, Ann works from sunup to sundown and obeys the orders of her master. Then one day, Ann’s family — the only joy she knows — is gone. Just 12 years old, Ann is overcome by grief, struggling to get through each day. And her only hope of stealing back her freedom and finding her family lies in a perilous journey: the Underground Railroad. (Ann Maria Weems was an actual slave who lived in the mid-1800s near the author’s home in Maryland.) [J CAR]

My Side of the Mountain/Jean Craighead George
A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human companionship. [J GEO]

August 15, 09 Juvenile Nonfiction

Do You Know Where Your Water Has Been?: The Disgusting Story Behind What You’re Drinking/Kelly Barnhill

Water covers a majority of the Earth’s surface, and  all plants and animals need water to survive. Not all water is safe for human use: it is either contaminated with illness-causing bacteria or polluted with garbage and waste. In this highly informative book, readers explore man’s search for clean drinking water throughout history, the complicated process that developed countries use to ensure clean drinking water today, and the consequences of drinking dirty water.

Getting to Know Your Toilet: The Disgusting Story Behind Your Home’s Strangest Features/Connie Colwell Miller

Toilets today can be found in every house in America, but this was not always the case. This book explores the stinky and creative history behind how man disposed of his waste from ancient Rome to modern America including pits, chamber pots, and the modern flush toilet. The invention of toilet-related items like toilet paper and the bidet as well as the health and safety concerns surrounding human waste disposal are also covered in this informative book.

Sewers And The Rats That Love Them: The Disgusting Story Behind Where It All Goes/Kelly Barnhill

Sewers are more than tunnels filled with human waste. They are part of a complex system designed to keep our cities clean and people healthy. Readers learn the details of how our modern sewer system keeps us safe from illness and disease as they explore the history of waste disposal and the complex system used today to ensure clean water flows in and waste water flows out of homes.

Garbage, Waste, Dumps, and You: The Disgusting Story Behind What We Leave Behind/Connie Colwell Miller

What happens to trash after it leaves our homes, offices and schools? What happened to trash before there were garbage men and sanitation workers to collect it from our dumpsters? This book takes readers on a learning journey to answer both these questions, starting with how our ancestors disposed of their unwanted leftovers and moving forward in time to the advanced systems we use today. From burying trash to recycling to composting, this book teaches readers about what happens to their garbage and the effects that each possible route for their waste has on the environment and human health.

Aug 13, 09 Juvenile & YA Audiobooks

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller/Sarah Elizabeth Miller

Annie Sullivan was little more than a half-blind orphan with a fiery tongue when she arrived at Ivy Green in 1887. Desperate for work, she’d taken on a seemingly impossible job — teaching a child who was deaf, blind, and as ferocious as any wild animal. But Helen Keller needed more than a teacher. She needed someone daring enough to work a miracle. And if anyone was a match for Helen, it was the girl they used to call Miss Spitfire. [CD J MIL]

The Light Princess/George MacDonald

It’s a well known fact that a new-born princess will often be subject to a curse, especially if her royal parents neglect to invite an important magical relative to the christening. But never has there been a curse as charming (and hilarious) as that which befalls the Light Princess. Deprived of gravity, she can’t take anything or anyone seriously. Even worse, she’s apt to blow away on the first stiff breeze! Can Read more…

It’s a well known fact that a new-born princess will often be subject to a curse, especially if her royal parents neglect to invite an important magical relative to the christening. But never has there been a curse as charming (and hilarious) as that which befalls the Light Princess. Deprived of gravity, she can’t take anything or anyone seriously. Even worse, she’s apt to blow away on the first stiff breeze! Can the handsome prince bring her down to Earth? One of the most acclaimed literary fairy tales of all time, George MacDonald’s profound and witty story floats into bubbling new life in this lovingly crafted full cast reading. [CD J MAC]

Juliet Dove, Queen of Love/Bruce Coville
In the fifth installment of Bruce Coville’s Magic Shop series, a mysterious woman gives shy, plain Juliet a magic amulet. Suddenly, all the boys in her class start noticing her – and falling in love with her. Juliet doesn’t want all the attention, but she can’t get the amulet to come off! [CD J COV]

No Talking/Andrew Clements

The fifth-grade girls and the fifth-grade boys at Laketon Elementary don’t get along very well. But the real problem is that these kids are loud and disorderly. That’s why the principal uses her red plastic bullhorn. A lot.

Then one day Dave Packer, a certified loudmouth, bumps into an idea — a big one that makes him try to keep quiet for a whole day. But what does Dave hear during lunch? A girl, Lynsey Burgess, jabbering away. So Dave breaks his silence and lobs an insult. And those words spark a contest: Which team can say the fewest words during two whole days? And it’s the boys against the girls. [CD J CLE]

Shooting the Moon/Frances O’Roark Dowell

When twelve-year-old Jamie Dexter’s brother joins the Army and is sent to Vietnam, Jamie is plum thrilled. She can’t wait to get letters from the front lines describing the excitement of real-life combat: the sound of helicopters, the smell of gunpowder, the exhilaration of being right in the thick of it. After all, they’ve both dreamed of following in the footsteps of their father, the Colonel.

But TJ’s first letter isn’t a letter at all. It’s a roll of undeveloped film, the first of many. What Jamie sees when she develops TJ’s photographs reveal a whole new side of the war. Slowly the shine begins to fade off of Army life – and the Colonel. How can someone she’s worshipped her entire life be just as helpless to save her brother as she is? [CD J DOW]

The Compound/S.A. Bodeen

Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone. Eli’s father built the Compound to keep them safe. Now, they can’t get out. He won’t let them. Dad asked me if I wanted to see more of the Compound. I didn’t. We would have to wait fifteen years before it would be safe to go outside. Which left more than enough time to see the rest of the Compound. Our new world. A world I would Read more…

Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years.  The world they knew is gone.  Eli’s father built the Compound to keep them safe.  Now, they can’t get out.  He won’t let them.  “Dad asked me if I wanted to see more of the Compound.  I didn’t.  We would have to wait fifteen years before it would be safe to go outside.  Which left more than enough time to see the rest of the Compound.  Our new world.  A world I would soon hate.” [CD YA BOD]

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie/David Lubar

Starting high school is never easy. Seniors take your lunch money. Girls you’ve known forever are suddenly beautiful and unattainable. And you can never get enough sleep. Could there be a worse time for Scott’s mother to announce she’s pregnant? Scott decides high school would be a lot less overwhelming if it came with a survival manual, so he begins to write down tips for his new sibling. Meanwhile, he’s trying his best to capture the attention of Julia, the freshman goddess. In the process, Scott manages to become involved in nearly everything the school has to offer. So while he tries to find his place in the confusing world of high school, win Julia’s heart, and keep his sanity, Scott will be recording all the details for his sibling’s—and your—enjoyment. [CD YA LUB]

Sun Moon Stars Rain/Jan Cheripko

Heartbroken over a failed romance, talented pianist Danny Murtaugh drops out of music school and returns to his rural hometown, where he discovers two new passions: one for the untouched woodlands of the reclusive Frederick P. Garrick, and one for Stephanie, the stunning new waitress at the town diner. Danny finds himself returning to the scene of the central tragedy of his life, and a painful unspoken secret. [CD YA CHE]

A Thousand Never Evers/Shana Burg

As the civil rights movement in the South gains momentum in 1963 – and violence against African Americans intensifies – the black residents, including seventh-grader Addie Ann Pickett, in the small town of Kuckachoo, Mississippi, begin their own courageous struggle for racial justice. [CD YA BUR]