Look What's New for Kids!

Over My Dead Body by Kate Klise - In this story told mostly through letters, busybody Dick Tater tries to ban Halloween and ghost stories, as well as to break up the popular writing team of I. B. Grumply, ghost Olive C. Spence, and eleven-year-old illustrator Seymour Hope.

November Recommendations for Kids

Fiction

Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano - As Thanksgiving creeps ever closer Turkey worries that he will be the main course for Thanksgiving dinner! After a series of hilarious disguises Turkey concocts an ingenious solution.

Strega Nona’s Harvest by Tomie dePaola - Every year Strega Nona plants a beautiful, productive garden. Big Antony decides to secretly plant his own garden, which is so successful that it resembles a jungle. Find out how Big Anthony solves the dilemma of his overly abundant harvest.

Thanksgiving Rules by Laurie Friedman - Percy Isaac Gifford provdes his ten simple rules for getting the most out of Thanksgiving Day, including hugging the relatives.

Miss Smith and the Haunted Library by Michael Garland - Reading with Miss Smith is always an adventure, since the characters leak from her stories and cause a rumpus. What happens when Miss Smith reads from scary stories? Will the Jabberwocky and the Headless Horseman get along?

Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go by Dale Bayse - It is Christmas shopping season at the Grizzly Mall, and Marlo is running through the mall dragging her unwilling accomplice, younger brother Milton. When Damian, the school bully, dynamites the worlds’ second largest marshmallow bear, all three are blown to Heck. Their misadventures in that shadowy land feature an abundance of puns and allusions which involve revolting food, rancid odors, and disgusting sewage. Richard Nixon teaches ethics in Room 1972, and Lizzie Borden is the Home Ec teacher, with Bea Elsa Bubb as the demonic principal. Will anyone escape this unearthly reform school and free the jarred lost souls? Are there loopholes in the contracts enforced in Heck?


Nonfiction

Things to Do with Mom by Alison Maloney - Celebrate family week with a variety of activities for parents (and other adults) to share with the children in their lives.

Things to Do with Dad by Chris Stevens - Celebrate family week with a variety of activities for parents (and other adults) to share with the children in their lives.

What Bluebirds Do by Pamela Kirby - Crisp photographs document one season in the life of a pair of bluebirds in the author’s backyard, beautiful pictures illustrate the bird’s courtship to the fledgling’s babies leaving the nest. Includes amazing, close-up shots of the bird family, and information on their needs. Good for reports and to introduce children to the wonder of bluebirds.

November Recommendations for Teens

Fiction

The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner - Yann, the Silver Blade, works within the French revolution with his magic, and straining to protect his true love, in this exciting conclusion to The Red Necklace. Set in the tumultuous world of Paris in 1794, where the guillotine sings through the air, and the mob is a force to fear. Count Kalliovski, lurks menacingly in the catacombs with his fearsome black dog. Threading through the story is the love of Sido and Yann against the intense revolutionary backdrop and overwhelming obstacles.

And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer - Arthur Dent has finally made it home to earth, which might be blown up again, and seems to have failed to grasp the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Wonder what Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Trillian, and the Vogons are conconcting? This is the continuation of the late Douglas Adam’s irrepressible Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld - It’s the start of World War I, but in a very different world. One world has the Clankers, advanced machines with giant spider-like walkers. The other world contains the Darwinists, creating war weapons with genetic engineering. In the middle of this impending war are two troubled youngsters. Young Aleksandar, the only son of Duke Ferdinand, flees after his father is assassinated, and strives to avoid those who attempt to kill him. Also there is young Dalyn who finally achieves her dream whole to be a British Navy Airman but since girls are not allowed to serve, she must keep her identity secret. This imaginative and amazing tale of monstrous floating whale ships, and menacing spider-like Clanker ships will capture your imagination. Bizarre technology, mutant animals, and a world war in the works! Be sure to pick up this fantastic book!


Nonfiction

A Big Little Life by Dean Koontz - “Dogs live most of life in Quiet Heart, humans live mostly next door in Desperate Heart. Now and then will do you good to live in our zip code” Trixie Koontz

Dean and Gerda Koontz adopt Trixie, a beautiful 3 year-old former service dog with Canine Companions for Independence, who teaches Dean about the joy of life by living in the present. Koontz claims his irrepressible golden retriever can think, see spirits, loves nachos, and even speak. A delightful romp from the life of a joyous dog.

November Recommendations for Adults

Fiction

Blood’s A Rover by James Ellroy - In his third novel in the Your U.S.A. Underworld trilogy where Ellroy attempts to create “a complete human infrastructure” of the tragic political events of 1958-1972, he continues to explore the “private nightmare” suffered by the enforcers of a morally corrupt public policy. Uncompromising, raw and fascinating, a compulsive read.

The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt - A remarkable storyteller, Byatt draws you gently into the story of two families of the Edwardian artistic intelligentsia, the Wellwoods and the Fludds, whose separate and intertangled tragedies mark the end of a certain kind of innocence for the middle class of their era. A deeply affecting story played out against the great, rippling tides of the day. It is a masterly literary achievement by one of our most essential writers.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery - In an elegant apartment building in Paris, the concierge, a bored twelve-year-old girl, and a wealthy Japanese man form a friendship, exchanging sharp and humorous observations about the world they inhabit. Light-hearted and philosophical, a great choice for book discussion groups.

Peter & Max: A FABLES Novel by Bill Willingham (illustrated by Steve Leialoha) - Two brothers journey through the The Black Forest and encounter ominous forces that change them irreparably. Thus beings an epic tale of sibling rivalry, magic, music and revenge. This stand alone prose novel introduces new readers to the world of Fabletown and fans will discover secret histories of the series cast. The author and illustrator won the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker Team.

Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel - In the ruthless court of King Henry VIII, only one man dared to gamble his life to win the King’s favor and ascend to the heights of political power-Thomas Cromwell. He belonged to the rising merchant class that sought to gain a place in a world dominated by an ancient, and amoral, aristocracy. Mantel catches the excitement and terror of Tudor England on the cusp of change.


Nonfiction

Ed Begley, Jr.’s Guide to Sustainable Living: Learning to Conserve Resources and Manage an Eco-Conscious Life by Ed Begley, Jr. - Even if you can’t cycle to power the toaster this book is full of economical ways to decide what will work for you from someone who practices energy efficiency and good environmental stewardship. Living an eco-conscious life does not require you to completely overhaul your home with expensive equipment. You can make your lifestyle green one project at a time.

Get Cooking: 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen by Mollie Katzen - A beautifully made book to read and hold, the softest paper, the most calming colors, and good recipes. Katzen’s a pleasure for people who like to read cookbooks as well as create meals from them. Sidebars suggest alternative ingredients for vegans and the adventurous.

The Kennedy Assassination-24 Hours After: Lyndon B. Johnson’s Pivotal First Day as President by Steven Gillon - Gillon, the Resident Historian for the History Channel and a history teacher at the Univ. of Oklahoma, uses newly declassified documents for an in-depth analysis of the decisions made in the first critical hours of LBJ’s presidency, decisions that would shape the Sixties decade. Gillon provides a fascinating look into the minds of the politicians who struggled to control our public crisis.

The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville - With over 30 years of journalism under her belt, the news anchor of Inside Edition takes on our collective social condition: lack of respect in the public arena. Noville says that respect is the "most forgotten element of success." Through amazing stories of how the power of respect given and received has transformed lives, Norville shows the practice of respect for self and others can enrich your life.

Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges by Chief National Correspondent for the CBS Evening News, Byron Pitts won an Emmy for his coverage of 9/11 and has brought us the news from hot spots around the world. He overcame stuttering, illiteracy, and poverty to graduate from Ohio Wesleyan University. An inspiring memoir told with great style and emotional clarity.