LIBRARY NOTES
May 1, 2008
After a beautiful week of
warmth and sun, it looks like we are in for some spring rains. If you are stuck
inside, consider the following good reads that the library has recently
purchased.
Certain
Girls is the follow up to Jennifer
Weiner’s very amusing novel Good in Bed (although you don’t need to read the first book in
order to enjoy the second). Cannie is now a bit older and her pre-teen daughter,
Joy, is preparing for her bat mitzvah. Joy is struggling with hormones and
identity issues, in particular trying to get closer to her biological dad and
her estranged grandfather. Add to that embarrassment about the hearing aids she
must wear and her mom’s over protectiveness. Meanwhile, Cannie is frustrated
and flummoxed by her daughter’s sudden rejections. Many misunderstandings
between mother and daughter stem from a bestselling (somewhat autobiographical)
novel Cannie wrote just before Joy’s birth, a book she was hoping her daughter
would never read. Still working as an author, Cannie now writes popular
sci-fi/fantasy books under a false name, until events conspire in such a way
that she is forced to reexamine herself as a writer, wife, and mom. As truths
unfold, both mom and daughter face unresolved issues from the past and forge new
ways of relating to one another. There’s a rather unexpected, abrupt ending
that threw me for a loop, but ultimately this is a great sequel to Good
in Bed.
Followers of mystery writer
Harlan Coben won’t be disappointed with his latest page-turner, Hold
Tight. Adam Baye’s parents, Tia and Mike, are deeply concerned – their
son used to be a straight-A student who loved hockey and was a trustworthy, easy
going kid. All that changed dramatically after a close friend of Adam’s
committed suicide. In desperation, Tia and Mike decide to track his online
habits – emails sent and received, websites visited, etc. This is all done
without their son’s knowledge, in the hope that they will be able to get back
the child they once knew. Privacy, family, and technology are just a few of the
themes that are interwoven with gripping plot twists and turns.
Three Girls and Their Brother is playwright Teresa Rebeck’s first novel. The gorgeous, red-headed Heller sisters and their brother are picked for a profile in the New Yorker, supposedly in honor of their grandfather who was a well-known book critic. The teenaged sisters, to varying degrees, are excited about this opportunity for fame, but their brother Philip is extremely skeptical and feels they’re being used. A beauty queen in her own day, the children’s mother is overjoyed at the prospect of attention for her offspring. As the Hellers are catapulted into the world of high fashion and drama, Three Girls is at some points beyond ridiculous, but is nevertheless a fun and diverting read.
LIBRARY NOTES
April 24, 2008
Planting season is getting
closer, and I bet you are starting to look forward to fresh, local fruits and
vegetables (not the grocery store strawberries that taste faintly like plastic).
We have some new gardening and outdoor books at the library, including a revised
and expanded edition of Sharing the
Harvest: a Citizen’s Guide to Community Supported Agriculture by Elizabeth
Henderson. To many, community supported agriculture (CSAs) are the answer to
knowing where your food comes from and to best supporting the farmers who grow
it. Whether you’re interested in learning about CSAs or in changing some
eating and spending habits, this book is a classic resource.
Completely changing the
topic, there is a new book out by Mary Roach called Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. Author of other
quirky, science-related titles such as Stiff:
The Curious Life of Human Cadavers, Roach is this time examining current and
historical studies of sex. Roach is a great storyteller, so risk potential
blushing and give this one a try.
The
Girl With No Shadow is a charming
follow-up to Joanne Harris’s Chocolat,
written in 1999. Vianne Rocher and her daughters have left their small French
village and have relocated to Paris. No longer making magical chocolates, Vianne
has sworn off the supernatural entirely and opens a new shop. As her oldest
daughter becomes increasingly involved with a rather evil character, Vianne is
forced to return to her old ways of solving problems, which of course include
cooking. This is a delectable fairy tale that adults can enjoy.
The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award is given in recognition of excellent literature written for children. Kids read at least of 5 out of 30 books chosen by the DCF committee and then vote on their favorite one. Each year, Vermont children from schools and libraries all over the state are encouraged to read through this program. The 2008 winner, chosen out of 30 books on the master list, is Cynthia Ward, author of Rules. Now we're already moving on to next year’s DCF nominees; keep in mind that we have the newest set of books trickling in for your anxious young readers. We will also be borrowing copies of the DCF books from the Waitsfield Elementary School over the summer.