Closed Monday May 30 for Memorial Day

Story Time Moves to Thursdays. Join Laura at 10:30 for stories and activities from around the world.

NEW MATERIALS

Adult

An Evil Eye  by Jason Goodwin 
From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Edgar-winner Goodwin's masterful fourth mystery thriller set in Istanbul under the Ottoman Turks (after The Bellini Card) finds his series hero, the eunuch Yashim, attempting to navigate treacherous political shoals following the death of Sultan Mahmut II in 1840. International pressures heighten the uncertainty surrounding the empire's direction under Mahmut's youthful successor. In this tense climate, Yashim looks into the killing of an unknown man dumped in a Christian monastery's cistern. A flap of skin cut from the body bearing a death's-head brand, an item that someone tries to take from Yashim at gunpoint, may point to a Russian connection to the murder. While Goodwin excels at plotting, the book's main strength lies in the assured depiction of a nation restrained by a corrupt leadership far removed from the old traditions of transparency and justice. The details of how Yashim prepares meals may amuse Robert Parker fans.

Potsdam Station  by David Downing 
From Publishers Weekly

Set in early 1945, Downing's gripping fourth novel featuring Anglo-American journalist John Russell (after Stettin Station) finds Russell in the Soviet Union. As the Russians approach Berlin, Russell devotes his energies to trying to reunite with his loved ones-his 18-year-old son, Paul, a member of the German army on the Eastern Front, and his lover, Effi Koenen, a former actress who now works to smuggle Jews to safety. Russell attempts to persuade the Russians that he should accompany them into Berlin, but they suspect that he's an American spy sent to sell them on the idea that the U.S. and Britain have no interest in the German capital. Meanwhile, the Nazis pick up a group of refugees Effi helped to escape, raising the prospect that one of them might disclose her involvement. Downing convincingly portrays the final days of the Nazis in power, and his characters are rich enough to warrant a continuation of their stories, even after the war.

Large Print

Tail Spin  by Catherine Coulter 
From Publishers Weekly

Dark secrets that can destroy lives propel bestseller Coulter's solid 12th FBI thriller (after Double Take). When a small plane carrying FBI Special Agent Jackson Jack Crowne makes a crash landing in mountainous Parlow, Ky., his friends FBI Special Agents Dillon Savitch and Lacey Sherlock fly by helicopter from Washington, D.C., to the scene. Jack survives the crash, aided by Rachael Abbott, a young woman who's returning to Parlow, her childhood home, after escaping an attempt to drown her in a Maryland lake. After Rachael reveals that she's the illegitimate daughter of the late Maryland senator John James Abbott, whose siblings she suspects are trying to kill her, the FBI agents agree to help. As further attempts on Rachael's life occur, the attraction grows between her and Jack. Despite a somewhat predictable plot, master of romantic suspense Coulter exposes the cost of obsessive regard for family honor and family shame with her usual flair.

Deception  by Jonathan  Kellerman 
From Publishers Weekly

Deputy Chief Weinberg assigns LAPD Lt. Milo Sturgis a particularly sensitive murder case at the outset of bestseller Kellerman's smooth if routine 25th Alex Delaware novel (after Evidence). Elise Freeman, a teacher and tutor at exclusive Windsor Preparatory Academy in Brentwood, is found dead in her Studio City apartment in a bathtub full of dry ice. Despite Elise's having left a DVD accusing three fellow teachers at the academy of repeated sexual harassment, Weinberg wants (for personal reasons) the investigation to involve the school as little as possible. As usual, psychologist Alex Delaware takes an active role in the investigation, which finds the victim had lots to hide. A boyfriend, students, teachers, and administrators are all anxious to keep those secrets hidden—and at least one of them is willing to kill again. Milo and Alex form an odd but effective duo as they trade banter and insights while sorting out the lies and deceptions.

Young Adult

The Emerald Atlas  by John Stephens 
Amazon Best Books of the Month, April 2011:

With a timeless writing style that invokes thoughts of children’s fantasy classics such as Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, author John Stephens weaves a gripping tale of mystery and magic into The Emerald Atlas. His enchanting prose and spot-on wit can only be described as both hip (Stephens was previously the executive producer of Gossip Girls) and Dickensian, a delightful combination that will both engage young readers with its relatable nature and fascinate them with its aberrant charm. If Stephens's comic finesse and archetypal writing style aren’t enough to engage young readers, they will no doubt be captivated by the plot. Stephens's complex formula for time travel and fascinating explanation for the disappearance of the magical realm is so convincing that readers might begin to believe that there is, in fact, far more to the world than meets the eye. Thought-provoking and enchanting, The Emerald Atlas has the makings of a children’s classic. 

Where She Went  by Gayle Forman 
From Publishers Weekly

Moving through a series of slow-motion vignettes, Walbert's meticulous, unshakably sad collection of linked stories provides glimpses into the lives of two women: one condemned by her husband's career to wander from one middle-sized American city to another; the other her daughter, who takes a series of European vacations in the doomed hope of living up to her mother's dreams of fun and romance. Trapped in a conventional, 36-year-old marriage, "hollowed out" by depression after the cradle death of her second child, passionate Marion Clark imagines a world of glamour through the postcards and letters of her first and only surviving child. The distinction between traveling for pleasure and traveling by necessity is analogous to other distinctions between the lives and opportunities of mother and daughter.

Juvenile

Heart of a Samurai  by Margi Preus 
From School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up–A Japanese teenager living in the mid-19th century bridges two worlds in this stunning debut novel based on true events. Manjiro and his fellow fishermen find refuge on a remote island after a storm destroys their ship. When they are rescued by an American whaleboat captain and given the chance to return home with him, Manjiro accepts the offer. His encounters with a land that he has been taught is barbaric and his subsequent efforts to return to Japan shape him into an admirable character. Preus places readers in the young man's shoes, whether he is on a ship or in a Japanese prison. Her deftness in writing is evident in two poignant scenes, one in which Manjiro realizes the similarities between the Japanese and the Americans and the other when he reunites with his Japanese family. A sailor named Jolly and an American teen express the racism he experiences in America

Wish Fairies: The Magic Continues  by Laureen Jones 
Product Description

In this collection of four stories the bond of friendship and love between the human villagers of Wishland and the mystical Wish Fairies remain strong as they lead us into lands of mystery and magic. The Amulet: An evil wizard arrives in Wishland in search of a magical amulet. The wizard believing a young boy carries the charm, imprisons Xandor and his friend Brandon in the Mystic Forest. The boys fight to survive the evil that lurks at every turn. Desperate, Brandon's father King Vallon, calls upon the Wish Fairies to help locate the boys and bring them safely home. Vectra: The evil witch Vectra escapes from the Mountain Land seeking revenge. Her ultimate goal is to destroy Wishland. The Wish Fairies help protect the land as King Vallon fights pure evil to save his Kingdom.

Picture Books

 Red Wagon  by Renata Liwska 
From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-A fluffy bipedal fox has a new red wagon and, as far as she's concerned, it's playtime right now. But Mom has a chore for her first. Lucy needs to go to the market. She's not enthused, but she does head off, shopping list in her paw, and takes along her imagination. Hedgehog, Rabbit, Raccoon, and others join her in fanciful play as the wagon becomes a boat, covered wagon, truck, or train while they make their way down the road. Lucy's Mom is pleased when she returns, task finished, and now it's time to play. Except, all that "work" actually means that the little fox is now ready for a nap. The illustrations are done with pencil and are colored digitally.

Amanda and Her Aligator  by Mo Willems 
Product Description

6½ stories about 2 surprising friends.
Having a stuffed alligator for a best friend can be surprising.
Sometimes Amanda surprises her alligator with books. Sometimes Alligator surprises Amanda by eating them.
But what happens when Amanda brings home a special—and not entirely welcome—surprise? The result might be unexpected indeed.
Beloved author-illustrator Mo Willems has created a funny and tender portrait of friendship that readers of any age will love.

Video

The Civil War: A film By Ken Burns 
Amazon.com

The most successful public-television miniseries in American history, the 11-hour Civil War didn't just captivate a nation, reteaching to us our history in narrative terms; it actually also invented a new film language taken from its creator. When people describe documentaries using the "Ken Burns approach," its style is understood: voice-over narrators reading letters and documents dramatically and stating the writer's name at their conclusion, fresh live footage of places juxtaposed with still images (photographs, paintings, maps, prints), anecdotal interviews, and romantic musical scores taken from the era he depicts. The Civil War uses all of these devices to evoke atmosphere and resurrect an event that many knew only from stale history books.

Cool Runnings 

Product Description

Based on a true story, this is the comedic saga of four Jamaican athletes going to extremes to compete as bobsled racers at the Winter Olympics. With few resources and virtually no clue about winter sports, it's an uphill course for this troupe from the tropics who are sliding on thin ice as they go for the gold in Calgary, Canada. Refusing to let anything stand in their way, these four Jamaicans enlist the help of a down-and-out ex-champion American slider named Irv. Unavoidably drawn back to a sport he had come to loathe, Irv is faced with coaching a team of complete novices.

White Fang 
Product Description

Jack London's immortal tale of courage and survival comes to glorious life amid the breathtaking beauty of the great Alaskan frontier! Ethan Hawke (DEAD POETS SOCIETY) stars as a young man trying to fulfill his father's dying wish to find gold in the treacherous Yukon valley. His incredible journey begins when he meets a veteran gold miner (Klaus Maria Brandauer), who guides young Jack to his father's claim. Along the way, Jack discovers a kindred spirit who will change his life forever -- a magnificent wolf-dog named White Fang. From the taming of a wolf, to the taming of the wild, he must find the courage to conquer his fears and become a man in this spectacular outdoor adventure!

Underdog 

Amazon.com

What happens when mad scientist Dr. Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage) and a former police beagle Shoeshine (voiced by Jason Lee) are involved in a fiery lab accident? A dog with superpowers is born (soon to be dubbed Underdog) and Dr. Barsinister becomes a man obsessed with revenge and bent on genetically modifying the entire population of Capital City. An unwitting former policeman Dan (James Belushi) and his son Jack (Alex Neuberger) adopt Shoeshine in hopes of improving their strained relationship and what follows is a typical scene of home destruction by a young dog multiplied exponentially by the incredible strength, speed, and newly developed language skills of one super dog. While Jack and Shoeshine struggle with the conflict between Shoeshine's desire to be a regular dog and Jack's insistence that he use his newfound powers to help people, mayhem reigns in Capital City.