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Library Bookwatch

Volume 11, Number 10 October 2016 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Library Science Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Education Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Cookbook Shelf Photography Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Science Shelf
Computer Shelf Military Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Biography Shelf American History Shelf
Civil War Shelf Social Issues Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Political Science Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Living Yellowstone
Michel Pierre
Naturnam
c/o Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
9781591521822, $19.95, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com

The Yellowstone National Park, is the oldest national, and by many standards, the most popular park in the world. Yellowstone is not only one of the most wonderful and scenic places on earth, but it is also one of the most geographically and botanically active. By comparing pictures taken at the same places at different times between 1998 and 2015, "Living Yellowstone: The Park 10 and 25 years After the Fires" beautifully and strikingly illustrates the short-term evolution of the landscapes and features of the park. An extraordinary volume, "Living Yellowstone" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal, community, and academic library collections. Also on the theme of Yellowstone, very highly recommended for children, and distributed by Farcountry Press, is "Yellowstone National Park: A Cautionary Coloring Book" (Caput Mortuum Books, 9780692747254, $8.95, PB, 32pp).


The Library Science Shelf

Library Volunteers Welcome!
Carol Smallwood & Lura Sanborn, editors
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786497805, $55.00, PB, 254pp, www.amazon.com

Volunteers, such as 'Friends of the Library' groups, are critically important to the daily operation of any library and fundamentally necessary for such activities as community fund raising. Finding and retaining the right people, motivating them and matching their skills with projects is challenging. Collaborative compiled and co-edited by experienced librarians Carol Smallwood and Lura Sanborn, "Library Volunteers Welcome!: Strategies for Attracting, Retaining and Making the Most of Willing Helpers" is collection of 30 new essays bringing together the experiences of numerous individuals across the U.S., providing ideas, projects and best practices for volunteer recruiting and management. These erudite and knowledgeable contributions are organized into five major sections; Recruitment and Retention; Policies and Process; Mentoring and Empowering; Placement, Programs and Responsibilities; Outreach. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Library Volunteers Welcome! is an absolutely essential addition to college and university Library Science collections, and is an enduringly valuable read for any community or academic librarians charged with establishing or maintaining volunteer organizational support for their libraries. It should be noted that "Library Volunteers Welcome!" is also available in a Kindle format ($16.19).

40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits
Edmund A. Rossman III
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838914380, $65.00, PB, www.amazon.com

When governmental budgets require cuts one of the first to feel the impact of decreased revenues are the public and academic libraries. When times are hard, NGOs are compelled to find supplemental revenue sources where ever they can. This is the underlying and fundamental reason why every library and every NGO must have a copy of "40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits" in their instructional reference collections. Laying out with exceptional clarity specific supplemental revenue generating ideas and projects that range from various forms of advertising, to diverse naming rights, to sponsorships, to vending machines, to crowdfunding, and so much more, "40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits" will prove to be an enduringly valued, practical, and effective resource. Of special note are the chapters on Legal and board Policy Considerations; Impact of Technology: Internet and Social media: and Establishing Value, Statistical Reports, and Targeting Prospects. Simply stated, "40+ New Revenue Sources for Libraries and Nonprofits" should be considered mandatory reading for every library director and every library board member.

The Librarian's Guide to Book Programs and Author Events
Brad Hooper
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838913840, $55.00, PB, 135pp, www.amazon.com

From hosting authors to planning and coordinating book activities such as book signings and book clubs, libraries are perfect venues for readers to interact directly with authors and their books. And mounting literary programming can be relatively easy and straight forward with the help of Booklist's Brad Hooper' "The Librarian's Guide to Book Programs and Author Events" which comprehensively covers how to provide a wide range of programming that targets a librarian's specific community of book lovers. "The Librarian's Guide to Book Programs and Author Events" includes step-by-step guidance adaptable to any type of audience, from children and teens to millennials and older adults; shows how to plan author readings, coordinate book signings, and put together and moderate an author panel; offers marketing and outreach pointers, including interviewing authors for local radio, library podcasts, or webinars; lays out the nuts-and-bolts of organizing and hosting book clubs, with suggestions for facilitating book group discussions; presents ideas for creating displays of staff favorites and other ways to get staff involved and engaged; and explores programs for community-wide book events, such as 'One Book, One City' programs Using this practical and thoroughly 'user friendly' guide, community libraries can connect book lovers eager to learn about recent and noteworthy books to authors and fellow book lovers. "The Librarian's Guide to Book Programs and Author Events" is also very highly recommended and informative reading for writers and publishers wanting to create author lectures and signing events as a means of marketing their books to libraries.

The One-Shot Library Instruction Survival Guide
Heidi E. Buchanan & Beth A. McDonough
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838914861, $50.00, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education is good news for one-shot instructors. With its six frames and conceptual approach you're freed from a long list of outcomes and can instead focus on big ideas. Now in an significantly updated and expanded second edition, "The One-Shot Library Instruction Survival Guide" is a concise guide will help librarians to stay organized and use their limited time wisely. "The One-Shot Library Instruction Survival Guide" covers: creative solutions for real-life problems, such as a difficult assignment or controversial topic, illustrated with 13 vignettes from professionals in the field; efficient assessment despite limited time or resources; specialized settings like an online class or classroom without computers; practical ideas on instruction for the six frames; choosing the right lesson for the right student at the right time; how to use concept maps; and creating assignments for active learning and experiential learning. Filled from cover to cover with strategies to guide students utilizing library resources towards meeting their instructors' expectations for critical thinking, "The One-Shot Library Instruction Survival Guide" is a practical resource will also empower librarians to become better, more confident teachers. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "The One-Shot Library Instruction Survival Guide" is very highly recommended for college and university Library Science instruction reference collections in general, and the supplemental studies reading lists for any member of a community or school library staff.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

I'm Published! Now What?
Jeffrey S. Copeland
Paragon House
3600 Labore Road, Suite 1, St. Paul, MN 55110-4144
www.paragonhouse.com
9781557789198, $18.95, PB, 286pp, www.amazon.com

Every year there are dozens of writer workshops and hundreds of academic classes in creative writing -- none of which touch upon what aspiring authors should do after their books have been written and published. "I'm Published! Now What?" by Jeffrey S. Copeland (the successful other of numerous books and a Professor in the Department of Languages and Literatures at the University of Northern Iowa, where he teaches courses in literature and English Education) is practical guide to conducting successful book readings, events, and promotions will help authors (and their publishers) to understand and navigate the shifting sands of the publishing world. Practical and 'real world based', "I'm Published! Now What?" is thoroughly 'user friendly' guide that will thoroughly demystify book marketing and prepare authors (and their publishers) to work effectively with bookstore event coordinators. Copeland quite correctly points out that the best friends an author can have are inside bookstores. Drawing upon his own years of experience and expertise, Copeland also shares what to do after events to maximize and build upon success. If an author and/or their publisher has time for only one "how to" book on developing effective marketing strategies and plans, the would be well advised to make it "I'm Published! Now What?"! While unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for community, college, and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of novice (and even established) authors that "I'm Published! Now What?" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.95).

Editing Research
Valierie Matarese
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
www.infotoday.com
9781573875318, $49.50, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com

Editors who work directly with academic researchers, helping to make their draft manuscripts suitable for publication in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, refer to themselves as authors editors. As a profession, author editing has been around for more than a half-century, but its role in research communication is often underappreciated and sometimes misunderstood. In "Editing Research: The Author Editing Approach to Providing Effective Support to Writers of Research Papers", authors editor and former researcher Valerie Matarese documents the history of author editing and illustrates through interviews with experienced editors the varied ways in which these language professionals support researchers in their efforts to publish. "Editing Research" fills a void in the historical record of academic publishing and provides an up-to-date account of how authors editors facilitate research communication and contribute to good publication practice. Enhanced with the inclusion of figures, tables, sidebars, a twenty-page listing of references, two pages of abbreviations, and an eleven page index, "Editing Research" is an exceptional, highly recommended, and absolutely practical addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections.

MLA Handbook, eighth edition
The Modern Language Association of America
26 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10004-1789
www.mla.org
9781603292627, $12.00, PB, 146pp, www.amazon.com

The Modern Language Association is the preeminent authority on research and writing, Now in a fully updated and significantly revised eighth edition, The "MLA Handbook" takes a fresh look at documenting sources. Works are published today in a dizzying range of formats. A book, for example, may be read in print, online, or as an e-book -- or perhaps listened to in an audio version. On the Web, modes of publication are regularly invented, combined, and modified. Previous editions of the MLA Handbook provided separate instructions for each format, and additional instructions were required for new formats. In this groundbreaking eighth edition of its instruction manual, the MLA recommends instead one universal set of guidelines, which writers can apply to any type of source. Shorter and redesigned for easy use, this eighth edition of the MLA Handbook deftly guides writers through the principles behind evaluating sources for their research. It then shows them how to cite sources in their writing and create useful entries for the works-cited list. Simply stated, any writer and editor working in any format should have a copy of this newly published eighth edition of the "MLA Handbook" as a core part of their personal reference library as well as every community or academic library's "Writing/Publishing" instructional reference collection!

Navigating Indieworld
Julie A. Gerber & Carole P. Roman
http://caroleproman.com
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781537228068, $12.99, PB, 146pp, www.amazon.com

Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of forty books. Julie A. Gerber is the founder of Away We Go Media, a social media management and consulting firm for authors. In "Navigating Indieworld: A Beginner's Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing Your Books" Roman and Gerber effectively collaborative to provide a complete course of step-by-step instructions for self-publishing authors on how to be financially successful and create/reach as large a customer base for their books as possible. Of special note is the inclusion of a Directory that features a listing of resources for Blogs & Websites; Book Tours; Book Trailers; Communities & Social Media; Covers; Formatting Services & Tutorials; Illustrators & Agencies; Marketing Services; Photo Editing; Publications; Radio; Reference Books; Voice Artists. It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is twice cited resource. The information is as sound as it is practical, the tone is thoroughly 'user friendly', the organization and presentation are excellent. Simply stated, "Navigating Indieworld" should be considered a 'must read' for anyone considering or already engaged in self-publishing. It should be noted that "Navigating Indieworld" is also available in a Kindle format ($2.99).

Why Write?
Mark Edmundson
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781632863058, $26.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

A prizewinning scholar and academician, Mark Edmundson is on the faculty of the University of Virginia. In "Why Write?: A Master Class on the Art of Writing and Why it Matters", Professor Edmundson tackles the critically important question that every writer, author, and novelist struggles with at some point in their literary careers in this day and age. Why write when it sometimes feels that so few people really read -- read as if their lives might be changed by what they're reading? Why write, when the world wants to be informed, not enlightened; to be entertained, not inspired? Writing is backbreaking, mindbreaking, lonely work. So why do it? Because writing, as Professor Edmundson explains, is one of the greatest human goods. Writing teaches us to think; it can bring our minds to birth. And once we're at home with words, there are few more pleasurable human activities than writing. Because this is something Professor Edmundson believes everyone ought to know he has created an effectively persuasive defense in behalf of essential reading (both practical and inspiring) for anyone who yearns to be a writer, anyone who simply needs to know how to get an idea across, and anyone else who finds themselves having or wanting to put pen to paper. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Why Write" is a consistently compelling read from beginning to end and very highly recommended for community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections. For the personal reading lists of students, aspiring writers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, it should be noted that "Why Write" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Fiction Shelf

Doctor Thorne: The Chronicles of Barsetshire
Anthony Trollope
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
www.oup.com/us
9780198785637, $15.95, PB, 500pp, www.amazon.com

Anthony Trollope (24 April 1815 - 6 December 1882) was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Now a major television series, Trollope's "Doctor Thorne: The Chronicles of Barsetshire" has been reissued by Oxford University Press for a new generation of appreciative readers. "Doctor Thorne" is the compelling story of the squire of Greshamsbury who has fallen on hard times, and it is incumbent on his son Frank to make a good marriage. But Frank loves the doctor's niece, Mary Thorne, a girl with no money and mysterious parentage. He faces a terrible dilemma: should he save the estate, or marry the girl he loves? Mary, too, has to battle her feelings, knowing that marrying Frank would ruin his family and fly in the face of his mother's opposition. Her pride is matched by that of her uncle, Dr. Thorne, who has to decide whether to reveal a secret that would resolve Frank's difficulty, or to uphold the innate merits of his own family heritage. The character of Dr. Thorne reflects Trollope's own contradictory feelings about the value of tradition and the need for change. His subtle portrayal, and the comic skill and gentle satire with which the story is developed, are among the many pleasures of this delightful novel. No community, college, or university library collection of great English literature of the Victorian era would be complete without including a copy of Anthony Trollope's "Doctor Thorne: The Chronicles of Barsetshire".

Reverend Colt
James Clay
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444826074, $20.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

When his wife Christina was murdered by a man she had tried to help, Preacher Paul Colten's idealism died in the dust -- and he took the first steps on the road to becoming the gunfighter known as Reverend Colt. Upon arriving in Grayson in pursuit of a man he was hired to kill, Reverend Colt finds a town under the brutal control of a wealthy rancher. Though he admires the local newspaper's stand against corruption, he knows that Grayson's rulers will not be stopped by editorials. Reverend Colt's skills with a weapon will be put to the ultimate test. Author James Clay is an impressively talented novelist with a complete mastery of the action/adventure novel as demonstrated by this large print edition of his western saga "Reverend Colt". A riveting read from first page to last, "Reverend Colt" is especially recommended for the personal reading lists of all western buff and this large print edition would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.

Witness Seeker
Stone Wallace
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432832209, $25.95, 265pp, www.amazon.com

His name is Chance Gambel. His occupation: Witness Seeker. It's a perilous profession where he is hired to search for witnesses to crimes so that they might testify for or against the accused in trials held throughout the frontier territories of the Southwest, circa 1880. Chance embarks on his most perilous assignment when he teams with a mysterious Mexican named Francisco Velasquez to search for the vicious outlaw gang leader, Silvano Ramos, who brutally murdered Francisco's sister. Their journey is fraught with adventure, danger, prejudice and mistrust as Chance remains unaware of what Francisco's true intentions are toward him: Friend or foe? A unique and exceptionally well story from first page to last, "Witness Seeker" will have a special appeal to diehard Western fans as it highlights suspense, excitement, romance and a stirring climax the reader that is as unexpected as it is memorable. While "Witness Seeker" is certain to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to community library Western Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists that it is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

Seeking Alice
Camilla Trinchieri
Excelsior Editions
c/o State University of New York Press
State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246-0001
www.sunypress.edu
9781438461281, $19.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

"Seeking Alice" is gripping story of love and loss centers on Marco, an Italian diplomat; Alice, his American wife; and their young children. Stationed in Prague during World War II, Marco and Alice become enemies when the United States enters the war, forcing Alice and the children to move from Prague to Rome and finally to Cernobbio in a desperate attempt to flee to Switzerland. Through alternating passages narrated by Alice and daughter Susie, readers shuttle back and forth between war-torn Europe and 1950s Massachusetts to search for answers and unravel the mystery about what really happened to Alice during the war. "Seeking Alice" by Camilla Trinchieri is a deftly crafted and compelling story of the disintegration of an American and Italian family caught in Europe during World War II. It is one of those all-too-rare novels that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While very highly recommended for community, college, and university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Seeking Alice" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).

How Can I Keep from Singing
Loretta Cobb
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu
9781604891652, $30.00, HC, 247pp, www.amazon.com

Bonita Byrnes comes of age during the civil rights movement in Birmingham's working class neighborhoods. Pearl, her mother, runs a boarding house. Ida, her black cook with enormous faith, becomes her confidante as Pearl goes from one bad relationship to another, leaving Bonita's father for a young Marine, just home from Korea. Their lives are complicated by what we now would call his PTSD from World War II. He drinks to excess, becomes violent at times, and moves from job to job. Lucinda, her older sister, does not like the stepfather. Bonita's father Phil marries a new wife and does very little to help with the girls though he is quick to criticize Pearl's efforts. "How Can I Keep from Singing" is one of those deftly crafted novels with fully conceived characters and a deftly woven storyline of unexpected twists and turns that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself is finished and set back upon the shelf. While strongly recommended for community and academic library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "How Can I Keep From Singing" is also available in a paperback edition (9781604891669, $17.95).

Peregrine Island
Diane B. Saxton
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781631521515, $16.95, PB, 267pp, www.amazon.com

The lives of the Peregrine family are turned upside down one summer when so-called "art experts" appear on the doorstep of their Connecticut island home to appraise a favorite heirloom painting. When incriminating papers, as well as other paintings, are discovered behind the artwork in question, the appraisal turns into a full-fledged investigation. Antagonism mounts between grandmother, mother, and child, who begin to suspect one another, as well as the shady newcomers in their midst, of foul play. With a roster of carefully crafted characters and a deftly woven plot, "Peregrine Island" is a riveting read from beginning to end and clearly showcases author Diane Saxton as a consummately skilled novelist. While highly recommended for community and academic library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Peregrine Island" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.95).

Phen
Lorin Adegbenro
Belle Isle Books
c/o Brandylane Publishers
5 South First Street, Richmond, VA 23219
www.brandylanepublishers.com
9781939930361, $16.00, PB, 214pp, www.amazon.com

Eric's life sucks. Born without the use of his hands and treated like a burden by his adoptive parents, he finds himself haunted by frightening spirits-until an altogether different sort of spirit appears to him, in the form of an old man. The old man has a story to tell-the story of a boy named Phoenix. After losing his mother when he was just three, Phoenix knows he has to fulfill her last wish: protect Hali, a young girl who came to Willow Oaks Orphanage along with Phoenix and his twin sisters. But fourteen years after her adoption, Phoenix has no idea where she is. To find her, and his own purpose, he'll have to follow his instincts and heart-perhaps straight into the ocean. And along the way, the lives of Phoenix and Eric will intertwine in a way that Eric never imagined. A unique and compelling novel by an exceptionally gifted writer, "Phen" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Phen" is also available in a Kindle format ($5.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Paris Librarian
Mark Pryor
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633881778, $15.95, PB, 270pp, www.amazon.com

When Hugo Marston's friend Paul Rogers dies unexpectedly in a locked room at the American Library in Paris, The local police conclude that he died of natural causes. But that's not what Hugo thinks. As he pokes around the library, Hugo discovers that rumors are swirling around some recently donated letters from American actress Isabelle Severin. The reason: they may indicate that the actress had aided the Resistance in frequent trips to France toward the end of World War II. Even more dramatic is the legend that the Severin collection also contains a dagger, one she used to kill an SS officer in 1944. As Hugo delves deeper into the stacks at the American library he finally realizes that the history of this case isn't what anyone suspected. But to prove he's right, Hugo must return to the scene of a decades-old crime. A simply riveting read from first page to last, "The Paris Librarian" is a consistently compelling series of unexpected plot twists and surprising turns by a master of the genre. While "The Paris Librarian" is very highly recommended for all community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Paris Librarian" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).

The Hemingway Thief
Shaun Harris
Seventh Street Books
www.seventhstreetbooks.com
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633881754 $15.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

The debut novel of Wisconsin author Shaun Harris, The Hemingway Thief is an exciting mystery-thriller with a literary bent. When novelist Henry "Coop" Cooper and hotel owner Grady Doyle rescue a drunken man from a pair of thugs, they make a discovery that kicks off a wild adventure. Supposedly, a stolen first draft of celebrated author Ernest Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast" hides clues to a suitcase that Hemingway lost in Paris in 1922, back when he was young and unpublished. The suitcase is a hidden treasure of lost Hemingway stories, of incalculable value - but Cooper and Doyle aren't the only ones out to claim the prize, and their search quickly turns extremely dangerous! Fast-paced and laced with biting humor, The Hemingway Thief is highly recommended.


The Education Shelf

Opening Doors to Quality Writing series
Bob Cox
Crown House Publishing
6 Trowbridge Drive Suite 5, Bethel, CT 06801
www.crownhousepublishing.com
$19.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

Created by independent educational consultant, teacher coach, and English teacher of 23 years' experience Bob Cox, the Opening Doors to Quality Writing series is intended especially to aid professional educators. Both volumes draw upon beloved classic books as a stimulus to show young people how to improve their own writing skills. "Opening Doors to Quality Writing: Ideas for Writing Inspired by Great Writers for Ages 6 to 9" (9781785830136) draws upon beloved texts such as "The Secret Garden" and "The Wizard of Oz"; while "Opening Doors to Quality Writing: Ideas for Writing Inspired by Great Writers for Ages 10 to 13" (9781785830143) uses classics such as "Tess of the D'Urbervilles", "The Hound of the Baskervilles", and "Wuthering Heights" to motivate young people. Both books describe methods for teaching poetry and prose, and discuss "access strategies" to help foster an initial spark of interest, "reading journeys" to encourage intelligent debate, "wings to fly" concepts to inspire original writing in one's students, and more. A glossary, bibliography, and accompanying CD-ROM of useful pedagogical materials round out these superb resources for grade school English instructors.

Get Better Faster
Paul Bambrick-Santoyo
Jossey-Bass
c/o Wiley Trade Publishing Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.josseybass.com
9781119278719, $36.95, PB, 496pp, www.amazon.com

Paul Bambrick-Santoyo is the Chief Schools Officer for high schools and K-12 content development at Uncommon Schools. Paul has trained school leaders worldwide in instructional leadership in his work as cofounder of the Relay National Principals Academy Fellowship and founder and dean of the Leverage Leadership Institute. In "Get Better Faster: A 90-Day Plan for Coaching New Teachers" he draws upon his years of experience and expertise to provide a wealth of instructive tools showing how school leaders can effectively guide new teachers to success. Over the course of "Get Better Faster", he breaks down the most critical actions leaders and teachers must enact to achieve exemplary results. Designed for coaches as well as beginning teachers, "Get Better Faster" focuses on the actionable (and the practice-able) that drives effective coaching. Packed from cover to cover with practical training tools, including agendas, presentation slides, a coach's guide, handouts, planning templates, and 35 video clips of real teachers at work, Get Better Faster will teach educators: The core principles of coaching: Go Granular, Make Feedback More Frequent; Top action steps to launch a teacher's development in an easy-to-read scope and sequence guide; The four phases of skill building including Phase 1 (Pre-Teaching): Dress Rehearsal, Phase 2: Instant Immersion, Phase 3: Getting into Gear, Phase 4: The Power of Discourse. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Get Better Faster" is unreservedly recommended for college and university Teacher Education instructional reference collections. For the personal reading lists of students, educators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Get Better Faster" is also available in a Kindle format ($19.99).

The Journey Is Everything
Katherine Borner
Heinemann
PO Box 6926, Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926
www.heinemann.com
9780325061580, $31.88, PB, 210pp, www.amazon.com

It is truly unfortunate that all too many students only know the concept of an"essay" as being a 5-paragraph, tightly structured writing assignment that must check all the boxes of a standardized formula. How did essays in school get so far away from the role essays have in a literate world? In "The Journey Is Everything: Teaching Essays That Students Want to Write for People Who Want to Read Them", Katherine Bomer, (one of the country's most gifted teachers of writing), makes a powerful case for teaching the essay as a way to restore writing to thinking -- that it is in fact this approach to essay writing is vitally necessary for students to be success in college and in a career. "The Journey Is Everything" persuasively argues that the close reading of essays fulfills the recommendations of state and national standards, while practice in essay writing leads to better academic and test writing. "The Journey Is Everything" gives educators the tools, strategies, and activities to bring a unit on more authentic writing into their practice. By following the advice and precepts laid out in "The Journey Is Everything", teachers and their students will rediscover the power of the essay to bring out a students' true thinking-their true selves. Simply stated, "The Journey Is Everything" should be a part of every college and university library's Teaching/Education reference collection in general, and every educator and aspiring writer's Literary Essay Instruction supplemental studies reading list in particular.

The Power of the Adolescent Brain
Thomas Armstrong
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416621874, $27.95, PB, 207pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students", Thomas Armstrong (an educator, a psychologist, and a writer who has worked in the education field for more than 40 years) looks at the power and promise of the teenage brain from an empathetic, strength-based perspective and then goes on to describe what middle and high school educators can do to make the most of their students' potential. "The Power of the Adolescent Brain" deftly explains what we know about how the adolescent brain works and proposes eight essential instructional elements that will help students develop the ability to think, make healthy choices, regulate their emotions, handle social conflict, consolidate their identities, and learn enough about the world to move into adulthood with dignity and grace. "The Power of the Adolescent Brain" provides practical strategies and real-life examples from schools that illustrate these eight key practices in action. In addition, there is a glossary of brain terms, a selection of brain-friendly lesson plans across the content areas, and a list of resources to support and extend the book's ideas and practices. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Power of the Adolescent Brain" is unreservedly recommended for professional, college, and university library Education reference collections in general, and adolescent psychology supplemental studies reading lists in particular. For the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "The Power of the Adolescent Brain" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.57).

Creative Block Play
Rosanne Regan Hansel
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605544458, $39.95, PB, 159pp, www.amazon.com

Rosanne Regan Hansel has been both a teacher and administrator for a variety of early childhood programs. She was also the Early Childhood Specialist for the Math Science Partnership at Rutgers University and currently serves as Education Program Development Specialist for the Department of Education. In "Creative Block Play: A Comprehensive Guide to Learning through Building" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to showcase how to encourage a child's development in a variety of domains through block play. "Creative Block Play" is profusely enhanced with photos that illustrate block play in real classrooms and stories contributed by teachers who have successfully used block play to encourage children's development in a variety of domains. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Creative Block Play" is enthusiastically recommended for college and university library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists. For the personal reading lists of students and classroom teachers it should be noted that "Creative Block Play" is also available in a Kindle format ($39.95).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Ancient Egyptian Supernatural Tales
Jonathan E. Lewis, editor
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520052, $19.95, PB, 290pp, www.amazon.com

Gleaned from the pulp magazines and short story anthologies of yesteryear, "Ancient Egyptian Supernatural Tales" is superb collection of stories compiled and edited by Jonathan Lewis. These are classic short stories in which ancient Egyptian mysticism, mummies, and other supernatural occurrences play a significant role. Included are chilling tales by such luminary authors as Edgar Allan Poe, Louisa May Alcott, Arthur Conan Doyle, Tennessee Williams, H. Rider Haggard, Algernon Blackwood, Sax Rohmer and more. Enhanced with an informative introduction by Lewis, "Ancient Egyptian Supernatural Tales" also includes 'Notes for Further Readings' and a listing of the Original Dates of Publication for the stories showcased in this outstanding anthology. A riveting read from beginning to end, "Ancient Egyptian Supernatural Tales" is a 'must' for all dedicated fantasy fans and will prove to be a valued and appreciated addition to community Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, as well as academic library Literary Fiction collections.


The Cookbook Shelf

Cook's Science
Guy Crosby
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445
www.americastestkitchen.com
9781940352459, $40.00, HC, 504pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled by Guy Crosby and edited by the staff of Cook's Illustrated, "Cook's Science: How to Unlock Flavor in 50 of our Favorite Ingredients" is compendium specifically designed to showcase and highlight 50 specific ingredients and the (sometimes surprising) science behind them:. Each individual chapter explains the science behind one of the 50 ingredients in a short, informative essay. The topics covered range from pork shoulder, to apples, to quinoa, to dark chocolate -- and then move onto an original (and sometimes quirky) experiment, performed in America's Test Kitchen facilities and designed to show how the science works. "Cook's Science" includes 50 dynamic, full-page color illustrations, giving in-depth looks at individual ingredients, "family trees" of ingredients, and cooking techniques like sous vide, dehydrating, and fermentation. The 400+ foolproof recipes included take the science into the kitchen, and range from French-Style Pork Stew; Sesame-Crusted Salmon with Lemon and Ginger; Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake; Italian-Chicken Soup with Parmesan Dumplings; to Rigatoni with Beef and Onion Ragu; Crispy Orange Beef; Savory Corn Muffins; Vietnamese Beef Pho; Rich Chocolate Tart; and Almond Biscotti. A unique combination of Food Science and Food Dishes, "Cook's Science" is unreservedly recommended for personal, family, professional, community, and academic library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Cook's Science" is also available in a Kindle format ($39.99).

101 One-Dish Dinners
Andrea Chesman
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612128412, $16.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Ideal for time-stressed kitchen cooks, the one-dish meal is a winning formula for today's busy families. In "101 One-Dish Dinners: Hearty Recipes for the Dutch Oven, Skillet & Casserole Pan", Andrea Chesman shows off the versatility of Dutch ovens, skillets, and casserole pans. Classic baked dishes like ham and potato gratin, chicken potpie, and vegetable lasagna go head-to-head with diverse stovetop suppers like jambalaya, seafood paella, and pad Thai. For those looking for something a little lighter but still filling, there are plenty of meal-in-a-bowl salads and timeless soups. Serve up a nourishing meal tonight with little fuss and fewer dishes! The beautifully illustrated, step-by-step, kitchen cook friendly recipes range from Mediterranean Seafood Stew; Italian Wedding Soup; Risotto Primavera; to Louisiana Red Beans & Rice; Stovetop Mac 'N' Cheese with Ham & Peas; Roast Pork with Sauerkraut; and Taco Salad. Palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, a pleasure to browse through and a joy to plan menus with, "101 One-Dish Dinners: Hearty Recipes for the Dutch Oven, Skillet & Casserole Pan" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "101 One-Dish Dinners" is also available in a Kindle format ($11.83).

Fast and Easy Five-Ingredient Recipes
Philia Kelnhofer
www.sweetphi.com
The Countryman Press
500 - 5th Avenue, LBBY 1, New York, NY 10110-0105
www.countrymanpress.com
9781581573992, $21.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

With Fast and Easy Five Ingredient Recipes you'll find over 100 recipes that only require five ingredients (or less) and use simple ingredients in unique ways. That makes every dish showcased and illustrated in this culinary compendium to be ideal for kitchen cooks who are short on available time in their kitchens. The thoroughly palate pleasing and appetite satisfying recipes range from Chicken Couscous Avocado Salad; Cheesy Bacon Potatoes; Red Wine Steak and Mushrooms; and Tilapia Tacos; to Graham Cracker cookie Truffles; Chocolate Caramel Bread Pudding; Icebox Cake; and Quick Marinara Sauce. Whether for weeknight meals or last minute dinner parties, these five-ingredient recipes will save both time and money. Philia Kelnhofer (aka 'Phi') started her food blog sweetphi.com as a place to share her favorite recipes with friends and family. After getting numerous requests for more of her five-ingredient meals, she introduced Five Ingredient Fridays with the simple belief that "five ingredients is all it takes to create fantastic dishes". Now everyone can benefit from her years of culinary expertise and experience with "Fast and Easy Five-Ingredient Recipes". While highly recommended for family and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Fast and Easy Five-Ingredient Recipes" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).

I Love Soup
Beverly LeBlanc
Nourish
c/o Watkins Media
www.nourishbooks.com
9781848997646, $19.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled by culinary expert Beverly LeBlanc, "I Love Soup: More Than 100 of the World's Most Delicious and Nutritious Recipes" is an extraordinary compendium of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' soups for any and all dining occasions. "I Love Soup" begins with an informative Introduction that includes techniques, basic recipes, accompaniments, and finishing touches. The individual soups themselves are truly impressive and range from Beef Consomme with Porcini Mushrooms; Italian Wedding Soup; Thai Meatball & Coconut Soup; Chicken Mulligatawny Soup; and Teriyaki Salmon Ramen; to Broccoli & Parsley Soup; Egyptian Aubergine & Tomato Soup; Arame & Tofu Soup; and Bloody Mary Party Soup. Beautifully illustrated throughout, "I Love Soup" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Eat in My Kitchen
Meike Peters
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791382005, $35.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Meike Peters is the Berlin-based writer and photographer behind the food blog 'Eat in My Kitchen', which she began in 2013. In the pages of "Eat in My Kitchen: To Cook, to Bake, to Eat, and to Treat", she has drawn upon her years of experience and expertise to compile palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly recipes that she has organized into sections for Salads, Vegetables, Soup, Pasta, Sandwiches, Seafood, Meat, Savory Baking, Sweets, and Preserves. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, the dishes themselves range from Potato-Sauerkraut Latkes with Juiper Sour Cream Dip; Wild Mushroom Spaghetti with Orange butter and Crispy Sage; Crayfish with Beet Mousse on Sourdough; and a Maltese Tuna and Spinach Pie; to Rustic Meatloaf with Leeks and Mountain Cheese; German Pretzel Buns; Donauwelle Marbled Cherry Cake with Vanilla Buttercream and Chocolate; and Lemon Cardamom Crescent Milk Rolls with Poppy Seeds. Of special note is the chapter of kitchen cook interviews called 'Meet In Your Kitchen'. A mouth-watering experience to browse through, and a culinary delight to plan menus with, "Eat in My Kitchen" is gladly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections.


The Photography Shelf

National Geographic Greatest Landscapes
National Geographic Press
101 West 104th Street, Suite 8, New York, NY 10025
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426217128, $40.00, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com

A simply gorgeous photographic compendium, "National Geographic Greatest Landscapes: Stunning Photographs That Inspire and Astonish" truly lives up to its subtitle. Flawlessly reproduced in full color are to be found some of the world's most beautiful locations immortalizing the beauty of the great outdoors that showcase evocative and often unseen visual images of extraordinary landscapes from around the world. Ranging from vast deserts in twilight, snowcapped mountain ranges at the brink of dawn, a forest in the height of autumn colors, and so much more, these indelible images will magnify the beauty, emotion, and depth that were professionally captured in the split second of a camera flash. "National Geographic Greatest Landscapes" takes readers on a spectacular visual journey and offering an elegant conduit to the world around them. Paired with illuminating insights from celebrated photographers, "National Geographic Greatest Landscapes" beautiful book weaves a vibrant tapestry of images that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Simply stated, "National Geographic Greatest Landscapes" unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Photography collections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Survival Doctor's Complete Handbook
James Hubbar, MD
Reader's Digest Trade Publishing
44 South Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601
www.rdtradepublishing.com
9781621453055, $19.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

"The Survival Doctor's Complete Handbook: What to Do When Help is NOT on the Way"" is specifically designed to be an essential guide to taking care of your family's health when you can't get medical help or the answers of what to do right away due to natural disasters disrupting normal communications and transportation or any other circumstance. "The Survival Doctor's Complete Handbook" is comprehensive, going well beyond immediate first aid, and covering such medical emergencies as: how to put a dislocated joint back into place; how to prevent hypothermia when your heat has gone out; what to do for asthma when you don't have your inhaler; whether you can really drink your own urine if you run out of water; what to feed your toddler if he has a fever and you have no medicine; and so much more. "The Survival Doctor's Complete Handbook" features more than 100 illustrations, along with quick quizzes and real-life examples, and goes step-by-step through the essentials of medical care during a crisis. It is interesting to note that after more than 30 years of practicing family medicine in Mississippi and Colorado, Dr. James Hubbard has combined his medical training with his outdoors experience to become one of the nation's top survival-medicine experts. More of his practical, evidence-based tips are based on his website, www.TheSurvivalDoctor.com. "The Survival Doctor's Complete Handbook" is a critically important addition to personal, family, and community library Health/Medicine collections in general, and the Emergency Medicine supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted that ""The Survival Doctor's Complete Handbook"" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).

Mind Body Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2
Emma Mardlin
Findhorn Press
www.findhornpress.com
9781844096879, $17.99, PB, 255pp, www.amazon.com

In "Mind Body Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2", by clinical practitioner in Mind/Body medicine, Emma Marlin (who has more than 21 year's experience of T1 diabetes and personally achieving 5.8% HbA1C on minimal insulin,) draws upon her extensive experience and expertise to provide the reader with a positively refreshing and unique information, support and practical resource book to emotionally and physically 'stop diabetes now', and create profound and positive change on many levels. "Mind Body Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2" provides a very new and exciting way of thinking about diabetes as well as containing ground breaking practical resources to stop diabetes; something that can be taken as far as the reader personally chooses, applicable to all types of diabetes, and circumstances. Informative, practical, and exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Mind Body Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2" is an ideal introduction specifically designed for the non-specialist general reader having to deal with diabetes within themselves or a loved one. While unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Diabetes supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted that "Mind Body Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Crow and Walshaw's Manual of Clinical Procedures in Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and Rodents, 4th ed.
Jennifer E. Boyle
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9781118985700, $69.99, PB, 408pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and revised fourth edition, "Crow & Walshaw's Manual of Clinical Procedures in Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, & Rodents" by veterinarian and academician Jennifer E. Boyle provides practical, up-to-date information on common veterinary procedures for gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, dogs, cats and rabbits with detailed line drawings and photographs that demonstrate not only pertinent anatomical relationships, but also operational motions. A classic veterinary clinical manual, "Crow and Walshaw's Manual of Clinical Procedures in Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and Rodents" provides practical, up-to-date information on common veterinary procedures; features detailed line drawings and photographs demonstrate pertinent anatomical relationships and operational motions; and is reinforced with a companion website offering interactive multiple choice questions and answers, and images from the text in PowerPoint. An ideal college or university Veterinary School curriculum textbook, "Crow and Walshaw's Manual of Clinical Procedures in Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and Rodents" will prove to have enduring value as a reference work for veterinary clinics. It should be noted that "Crow and Walshaw's Manual of Clinical Procedures in Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and Rodents" is also available in a Kindle format ($52.99).


The Science Shelf

In the Company of Microbes
Elio Schaechter
ASM Press
1752 N St. NW, Washington, DC 20036
https://www.asm.org/index.php/press
9781555819590, $20.00, PB, 292pp, www.amazon.com

With more than 1,000 posts and 2 million views, the online Small Things Considered blog has been attracting the attention of microbiologists for the past decade. Throughout the years, Elio Schaechter and his team of dedicated bloggers have shared exciting, unexpected, and unusual stories from the microbial world. Now they have compiled the best of their work into a single volume. "In the Company of Microbes: Ten Years of Small Things Considered" is an extraordinary compilation of carefully selected, wise, amusing, and even profound statements about the ubiquity and relevance of the microbial world. In the pages of "In the Company of Microbes" Schaechter, past ASM Presidents, and distinguished microbiologists from around the globe reflect on personal, sometimes historic interactions with microbes and unexpected discoveries, with each individual essay conveying the excitement and sense of surprise that microbiology holds for them. An inherently fascinating read from beginning to end, "In the Company of Microbes" is informative, thought-provoking, and occasionally inspiring, making it unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of academic and non-specialist general readers with an interest in microbiology. Simply stated, every community, college, or university library should have a copy of "In the Company of Microbes" as a integral part of their Microbiological Studies collection.

Marine Omics: Principles and Applications
Se-Kown Kim, editor
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781482258202, $229.95, HC, 724pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and presented by Se-Kown Kim (Distnguished Professor in the Department of Marine Bio Covergence Science and Technology and Director of Marine Bioprocess Research Center at Pukyong National university, Busan, South Korea), "Marine Omics: Principles and Applications" provides comprehensive coverage on current trends in marine omics of various relevant topics such as genomics, lipidomics, proteomics, foodomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, nutrigenomics, pharmacogenomics and toxicogenomics as related to and applied to marine biotechnology, molecular biology, marine biology, marine microbiology, environmental biotechnology, environmental science, aquaculture, pharmaceutical science and bioprocess engineering. Comprised of thirty-two erudite and cutting-edge science articles by marine environmental scientists, "Marine Omics: Principles and Applications" is a major and substantive contribution to the field and a critically important addition to college and university library Marine Science collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Computer Shelf

Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing
Frank T. Willmore, Erick Jankowski, Coray Colina, editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781498745048, $79.95, HC, 289pp, www.amazon.com

Created to help scientists and engineers write computer code, "Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing" is practical instructional compendium that addresses the important tools and techniques that are necessary for scientific computing, but which are not yet commonplace in science and engineering curricula. "Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing" is comprised of nineteen specific articles by experts in the field summarizing the most important topics that computational researchers need to know about. It leverages the viewpoints of passionate experts involved with scientific computing courses around the globe and aims to be a starting point for new computational scientists and a reference for the experienced. Each contributed chapter focuses on a specific tool or skill, providing the content needed to provide a working knowledge of the topic in about one day. While many individual books on specific computing topics exist, none by this CRC Press edition of "Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing" is explicitly focused on getting technical professionals and students up and running immediately across a variety of computational areas. Impressively well organized and presented, "Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing" is especially recommended for academic library Computer Science and Technology reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing" is also available in a Kindle format ($72.20).


The Military Shelf

Flame On: U.S. Incendiary Weapons, 1918-1945
John W. Mountcastle
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811716895, $21.95, 224pp, www.amazon.com

"Flame On: U.S. Incendiary Weapons, 1918-1945" by Brig. Gen. John Mountcastle, USA Ret., (who was the U.S. Army's chief of military history from 1994 to 1998, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and Duke University, and a veteran of Vietnam, who also taught at West Point) is a concise and comprehensive history of the development and use of incendiary weapons- (including flamethrowers, incendiary bombs, napalm, and more) by the American military in the twentieth century, with a special focus on World War II. "Flame On" Describes how the U.S. created its incendiary weapons program virtually from scratch during World War II. Included are such pivotal episodes as: Omaha Beach on D-Day; the skilled performance of an armored flamethrower battalion in the Pacific; as well as the history of incendiaries from ancient times to World War II and through Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. The latest addition to the simply outstanding 'Stackpole Military History' series, "Flame On" is enhanced with the inclusion of twenty-eight pages of Notes, a thirty-four page Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index. Impressively well researched, written, organized and presented, "Flame On" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library American Military History reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Tyrannosaurus Rex
Ted Rechlin
Rextooth Studios
9781591521747 $16.95 http://rextooth.com

Tyrannosaurus Rex is a full-color, hardcover graphic novel chronicling the life of Cobalt, a ferocious predatory dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period. Tyrannosaurs Rex does not anthropomorphize Cobalt in any way; instead, the story draws directly upon the latest scientific research and theories to reconstruct how these gigantic beasts lived, hunted, and raised their families millions of years ago. "All Cobalt knows is that he needs to eat. But there's much more to it than that. An apex predator, like T. Rex, plays a critical role in the health of the ecosystem. The predator kills the old, sick and the weak, keeping plant eater herds strong and free of disease. Too many herbivores would decimate the vegetation. There would be no plants left to clean the air. Eating the herbivores keeps that from happening." Dinosaur fans of all ages will thoroughly enjoy Tyrannosaurus Rex cover to cover! Highly recommended, both for personal and public library graphic novel collections.


The Audiobook Shelf

Spain in Our Hearts
Adam Hochschild, author
Narrated by Henry Strozier
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781501906329 $TBA www.recordedbooks.com

Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939 is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a keen historical study of Americans who became deeply involved in the Spanish Civil War. As Spain's democratic government struggled against a fascist uprising led by Francisco Franco, and aided by Hitler and Mussolini, American volunteers rushed to Spain - and many lost their lives. Here are the stories of a nineteen-year-old Kentucky woman who went to Spain on her honeymoon; a Swarthmore College senior who became the first American casualty in the battle for Madrid; rival New York Times reporters who covered the war; and much more. Spain in Our Hearts is fascinating, enlightening, and a superb addition to public and college library audiobook collections.

Real Food, Fake Food
Larry Olmsted, author
Read by Jonathan Yen
Highbridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781681681948 $34.99 www.highbridgeaudio.com

Culinary gourmand and award-winning food journalist Larry Olmsted (who writes the "Great American Bites" column for USA Today) presents Real Food, Fake Food: Why You Don't Know What You're Eating & What You Can Do About It, a scathing expose of how severely unregulated the food industry can be, now available as an unabridged audiobook. Chapters describe bait-and-switch schemes designed to gouge diners while presenting fraudulent substitutes for the finest dining. From fake "Kobe beef", to imitation Parmesan cheese, to why restaurants can legally lie when they claim their food is "organic", "dry aged", "heritage breed" or "wild caught", and more, Real Food, Fake Food teaches viewers how to recognize authentic meats, cheeses, wine/spirits, and seafood, and ensure that the delicacies they enjoy are the genuine article. Highly recommended. 12 hours on 10 CDs.

Imprudence
Gail Carriger
www.gailcarriger.com
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781478960966, $30.00, www.amazon.com

"Imprudence" is the sequel to Gail Carriger's wonderfully original and entertaining action/adventure fantasy "Prudence". In "Imprudence" we find that the shapeshifting capable Rue and the crew of her dirigible the Spotted Custard returning from India with revelations that shake the foundations of England's scientific community. Queen Victoria is not amused, the vampires are tetchy, and something is wrong with the local werewolf pack. To top it all off, Rue's best friend, Primrose, keeps getting engaged to the most unacceptable military types. Rue has family problems as well. Her vampire father is angry, her werewolf father is crazy, and her obstreperous mother is both. Worst of all, Rue's beginning to suspect what they really are is frightened. Once again Prue sets out, this time to Egypt, to aid her parents, evade mysterious attackers, and find her immortal friend (a shape shifting lioness queen) hidden tribe to warn them of their eminent danger. Wonderfully brought to life in a true 'theatre of the mind" experience by the narrative skills of voice-over artist Moira Quirk, "Imprudence" offers twelve hours of listening pleasure flawless recorded on 11 CDs. "Imprudence" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library audio book collections and is a "must" for all science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts.

Can I Say
Travis Barker with Gavin Edwards
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781504716550 $39.95 www.downpour.com

Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums is unabridged audiobook biography of punk band Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. Barker's life story reads almost like a Byronic tragedy - despite his phenomenal success as a rock star, his marriage (chronicled for an MTV reality show) fractured, and drug addiction gradually devoured him. Two severe shocks forced him to rethink his flawed choices and turn his life around. One was when he nearly perished in a terrifying plane crash, and when his friend and fellow crash survivor DJ AM died of an overdose. Barker shares his hard-learned lessons, his passion for drumming, and the inspiration to find meaning in one's own life no matter how difficult the path. Highly recommended. 9 CDs, 10 1/2 hours.


The Library CD Shelf

Illuminations
Steven Kirby
Whaling City Sound
1310 Tucker Road, No. Dartmouth, MA 02747
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos of America, Inc. (distribution)
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
$13.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Jazz guitarist Steven Kirby presents Illuminations, a striking album of both instrumental pieces and lyrical vocalizations from the dulcet-toned Aubrey Johnson. Guest jazz musicians including John Funkhouser (piano/keys), Greg Loughman (bass), Mike Connors (drums/percussion), Bill Vint (sax/flute), Mark Shilansky (piano), Steve Hunt (keys), and Ed Lucie (bass) interleave their talent with Kirby's exceptional guitar playing. The smooth, evocative music is a joy to experience, in this treasure recommended for both personal and public library collections. The tracks are "Parabola" (5:58), "I Hear a Rhapsody" (5:01), "Illuminations" (7:46), "Beautiful Rain" (5:09), "Lake Of Stars" (7:49), "Slow Circle" (6:35), "May The 4ths Be With You" (5:35), "A Luz Das Estrelas" (3:11), "Over The Rainbow" (6:04), "Returning" (6:05), and "Last Song" (6:24).

Windows
Tim Ray Trio (Tim Ray, John Lockwood, and Mark Walker)
Whaling City Sound
1310 Tucker Road, No. Dartmouth, MA 02747
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos of America, Inc. (distribution)
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
$13.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Windows is a classic piano trio album by Tim Ray, John Lockwood, and Mark Walker, performing some of the most beloved piano trio standards plus a pair of original compositions (Ray's "Joy" and Lockwood's "12 x 7"). Windows is a succinctly mellifluous piano trio performance, highly recommended for connoisseurs of coordinated artistry. The tracks are "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (5:37), "Monk's Dream" (5:12), "Toys" (6:27), "DE-Train" (3:50), "Joy" (6:38), "I've Been to Memphis" (5:47), "Dolphin Dance" (3:23), "Windows" (5:37), "So Tender" (5:52), "Star Eyes" (6:51), "Peace" (5:22), and "12 x 7" (3:08).

Beyond Words
Dan Chadburn
www.DanChadburn.com
Privately Published
$12.97 / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Beyond Words is the sixth album by pianist and composer Dan Chadburn. Beautiful and elegant, the songs cascade with joy, celebrating life, love, and the ineffable mysteries of creation. A solo piano masterpiece, Beyond Words is a "must" for connoisseurs, a treasure for public library collections, and makes an unforgettable gift! The tracks are "Awakening" (4:02), "Joyful Morning" (3:04), "Healing Waters" (3:02), "Crossroads" (4:33), "Shelton Rain" (3:44), "Tears of Angels" (3:37), "Love is Love" (3:15), "Falling Forward" (3:52), "Lazy Sky Afternoon" (4:07), "Kal-Boy" (4:21), "Heroes" (3:45), "Country Harvest" (3:31), "An Evening in Florence" (3:01), and "Lullaby for Peace" (2:21).

Landscapes of the Heart
Gary Schmidt
www.apianist.com
Privately Published
$11.99 CD / $11.99 download cdbaby.com

Landscapes of the Heart: Piano-based Meditations is a New Age piano/instrumentation album featuring the soulful compositions of pianist Gary Schmidt. Created especially to foster meditation and quiet contemplation, Landscapes of the Heart has a still, sparkling beauty that lingers in the mind long after the last note has faded. Highly recommended for personal and public library music collections, as well as for gift-giving. The tracks are "The Beauty We Love" (3:37), "When the Silence Speaks" (2:54), "Reaching into Romance" (3:11), "Waltz in 2/4" (5:17), "A Blanket of White" (3:45), "You Already Have Wings" (4:41), "Gnossienne no. 1" (3:51), "Gnossienne no. 5" (3:48), "Restless" (3:46), "A Dawn I Remember" (3:10), "This New Day" (3:32), "Between Two Worlds" (4:01), and "Solus" (2:41).


The Library DVD Shelf

Talent Has Hunger
Directed by Josh Aronson
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Filmed over the course of seven years, Talent Has Hunger is a documentary on DVD about learning the art of music. The film follows expert cello teacher Paul Katz, and his work to guide gifted young people to master the cello and hone their talent. Talent Has Hunger is not only about cello playing, but also about the power of music to build self-esteem, promote inspiration, and develop character. Talent Has Hunger is highly recommended, especially for public and school library DVD collections. Bonus materials include an interview with director Josh Aronson, "Cello Lessons" by Paul Katz, student updates, and biographies. 83 min.

Jericho
Starring Jessica Raine, Hans Matheson, and Clarke Peters
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$59.99 www.acornonline.com

Jericho is a 3-disc DVD set of an 8-part British Western television series, set during the 1870's in the rugged, untamed land of Yorkshire. Jessica Raine (known for her appearance in "Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime) stars as Annie Quaintain as an impoverished widow with two children. Forced to sell her house and furnishings just to settle her deceased husband's debts, Annie searches for work in Culverdale Valley, where a vast railway viaduct is under construction. Surviving and protecting her children in the rough-and-tumble shantytown of Jericho, where everyone seems to be on the run or hiding a dark secret, is difficult enough. Then a terrible crime puts Annie's tenuous new life in jeopardy! Featuring beautiful, on-location scenery, memorable characters, and a vivid recreation of frontier life over a century ago, Jericho is enthusiastically recommended for Western connoisseurs. Bonus material includes a behind- the-scenes featurette. It should be noted that Jericho contains violence, strong language, and sexual situations. 8 episodes on 3 DVDs, 390 min. plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Climate Change and American Policy
John R. Burch, Jr., editor
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476665276, $39.95, PB, 340pp, www.amazon.com

Climate change has long been a contentious issue, even before its official acknowledgment as a global threat in 1979. Government policies have varied widely, from Barack Obama's dedication to environmentalism to George W. Bush's tacit minimizing of the problem to Republican officials' refusal to acknowledge the scientific evidence supporting anthropogenic climate change. Compiled, edited, and presented by John R. Burch, Jr. (Dean of Library Services and a Professor at Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky) chronologically presents an informative collection of important policy-shaping documents that shows how the views of both advocates and deniers of climate change have developed their arguments over the past four decades. Enhanced with the inclusion of a ten page Bibliography and an eleven page Index, "Climate Change and American Policy: Key Documents, 1979-2015" is unreservedly recommended as a core addition to professional, community, college, and university library Environmental Studies and Contemporary Social Issues collections in general, and Climate Change supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Biography Shelf

Finding Dorothy Scott: Letters of a WASP Pilot
Sarah Byrn Rickman
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896729728 $24.95 www.ttupress.org

During World War II, more than 1,100 female pilots flew military aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces; they were known as WAFS (Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron) or WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). Finding Dorothy Scott: Letters of a WASP Pilot is the true-life story of one such woman. Dorothy Scott was patriotic, engaging, ambitious, and ultimately, a heroine who gave her life for country; she perished in a mid-air crash, one of thirty-eight WASP pilots who died while carrying out their duty. Her twin brother donated her wartime correspondence, which is interleaved with her biography. Finding Dorothy Scott is fascinating, inspirational, and highly recommended.

Mario Cuomo: Remembrances of a Remarkable Man
William O'Shaughnessy
Whitney Media Publishing Group
c/o Fordham University Press (distribution)
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823274260 $35.00 www.fordhampress.com

Mario Cuomo: Remembrances of a Remarkable Man is a tribute to American Democratic politician Mario Cuomo (1932-2015), who served three terms as governor of New York, among other accomplishments. Cuomo was a devout Catholic who did not believe that religion should dictate politics; a staunch opponent of the death penalty; a leader; and a family man. Author William O'Shaughnessy shared a thirty-eight year friendship with Cuomo, and has assembled a wealth of previously unpublished material, including excerpts from Cuomo's inspirational speeches, personal letters to his children and grandchildren, vignettes from his time in office, and the story behind why he refused entreaties to run for President of the United States. A handful of color photographs and an index round out this touching remembrance of Cuomo's life, work, legacy, and camaraderie.

All for the Greed of Gold
Edited by Catherine Holder Spude
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
9780874223354 $27.95 www.wsupress.wsu.edu

All for the Greed of Gold: Will Woodin's Klondike Adventure collects the writings of William Jay Woodin, who took part in the Alaska Gold Rush with his father and others. The Woodin family planned to earn a fortune not by mining, but by providing supplies. William's diaries, short story, and 1910 memoir provide a vivid, first-person account of the hardships of travel, and the dream of chasing fortune through the rugged wilderness. It's particularly notable that William's party elected to travel the lesser-used White Pass Trail and Tutshi Trail; William's writings reflect valuable insight into surviving this route during the turn of the century. Extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this candid and enlightening primary source, highly recommended for both public and college library biography collections.


The American History Shelf

Lincoln's Greatest Journey
Noah Andre Trudeau
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611213263 $32.95 www.savasbeatie.com

Historian and award-winning author Noah Andre Trudeau presents Lincoln's Greatest Journey: Sixteen Days that Changed a Presidency, March 24 - April 8, 1865, is a close examination of the longest trip (and break from the White House) that President Abraham Lincoln undertook since taking office. It was a sixteen-day sojourn, taken as the Civil War was winding down to a close. Lincoln's Greatest Journey meticulously reconstructs the trip day-by-day, and further explores its ramifications upon the President, and by extension, the nation. Chapter notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this fascinating historical and character study, highly recommended for public and college library collections.

The Ides of War
Stephen Howard Browne
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29208
9781611176599 $44.99 www.sc.edu/uscpress

The Ides of War: George Washington and the Newburgh Crisis challenges the assumption that the United States of America has never confronted the possibility of a coup d'etat. In 1783, shortly after America's birth as an independent nation, an existential crisis nearly overwhelmed America's destiny. The man who averted disaster was none other than Founding Father George Washington, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Army, who delivered a crucial address to a roomful of restive and severely disaffected officers. The Ides of War closely examines the Newburgh Crisis, also known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, that almost escalated into a military coup at the end of the Revolutionary War. Stephen Howard Browne (professor of rhetorical studies, Pennsylvania State University) has assembled an expertly researched, meticulously detailed analysis, enhanced with notes and a bibliography. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library American History collections.

Soap Suds Row
Jennifer J. Lawrence
High Plains Press
P.O. Box 123, Glendo, WY 82213
www.highplainspress.com
9781937147105 $18.95 amazon.com

Soap Suds Row: The Bold Lives of Army Laundresses, 1802-1876 tells the story of military laundresses who aided the U.S. Army in the 1800's, including during the Civil War era. Some were the wives of soldiers; others were heroines, spies, cross-dressers, teachers, prostitutes, or women who had been held captive by Indians. Some managed to care for small children even as they worked for and lived with the Army. Soap Suds Row is filled with fascinating true stories of the bravest and most unorthodox among these women. A registry of known laundresses, a bibliography, and an index round out this welcome addition to public and college library American History shelves.


The Civil War Shelf

Decision at Tom's Brook
William Miller
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213089 $29.95 hc / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

Award-winning nonfiction writer William Miller presents Decision at Tom's Brook: George Custer, Thomas Rosser, and the Joy of the Fight, a close study of The Battle of Tom's Brook, during the American Civil War. The focus is on two opposing military leaders, who had once been friends during their teenage years at West Point. George A. Custer's allegiance lay with the Union, while Thomas L. Rosser was loyal to the Confederacy. In the fall of 1864, General Phil Sheridan vowed to turn the breadbasket Shenandoah Valley into "a desert", and set Custer to the task. Rosser was ordered to stop Custer, and harassed the Federals for three days until October 9, when each ambitious leader sought to seize an advantage over the other in the open fields above Tom's Brook. Their clash would reveal the capabilities of Custer's cavalry, and directly affect the overall campaign in Shenandoah Valley. Enhanced with black-and-white photographs on almost every page, Decision at Tom's Brook draws upon research into primary source documents, yet distills its scholarship into accessible, reader-friendly prose. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library Civil War shelves.


The Social Issues Shelf

Prison Industrial Complex For Beginners
James Braxton Peterson, author
John Jennings and Stacey Robinson, illustrators
For Beginners LLC
155 Main Street, Suite 211, Danbury, CT 06810
www.forbeginnersbooks.com
9781939994318 $15.95 pbk / $15.95 Kindle amazon.com

Written to be accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and featuring striking black-and-white illustrations on almost every two-page spread, Prison Industrial Complex For Beginners candidly explains inherent problems and injustices in America's law enforcement and prison systems. Young, male people of color, especially young black men, are particularly likely to be targeted with harsher sentences for the same crime. Chapters address how mandatory minimum sentencing and the failed War(s) on Drugs caused prison rates to skyrocket due to increased incarceration of nonviolent, low-level offenders; how private prisons directly profit, both by being paid to hold inmates and by having the inmates work for less than minimum wage; how this profit motive fosters judicial corruption, such as in the notorious "Kids for Cash" scandal; how the current prison emphasis on punishment rather than rehabilitation increases recidivism rates; and much more. Notes, suggestions for further reading, and a possible syllabus for a "Black Prison Narratives" college course round out this sober and thought-provoking account. Prison Industrial Complex For Beginners is highly recommended, and a worthy addition to the "For Beginners" series of illustrated nonfiction books addressing complex topics for everyday readers.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits, fifth edition
Ilona Bray, J.D.
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781413322989 $29.99 www.nolo.com

Now in an updated fifth edition that covers the latest legal and tax restrictions in the United States, Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies That Work is an accessible, plain-terms guide compiled from the experience of over 50 fundraisers, foundation staffers, journalists, and other professionals. Chapters address how to appropriately thank donors (and help them satisfy the IRS), how to attract legacy or inheritance gifts, tax rules for business activities designed to raise funds, research grant prospects, designing a website to draw in donors, outreach via both traditional and social media, and much more. "Test your nonprofit's donor-response experience. It's hard to know, from where you sit, what it's actually like to make an online donation to your organization. You might ask a friend or relative to do so (a few bucks is enough), then to tell you (honestly) how well your organization followed up. Did the 'thank-yous' come as promptly as expected?" An index and a wealth of sample documents and worksheets round out this "must-have" for every American nonprofit organization. It should be noted that no book, including Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits, can substitute for the counsel of a trained attorney. However, Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits can help the reader identify problematic situations where the hiring services of a trained attorney is a wise idea! Highly recommended.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Foxe's Book of Martyrs
John Foxe
Edited by Paul L. Maier and R. C. Linnenkugel
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825443299 $29.99 amazon.com

Foxe's Book of Martyrs was a scholarly text written in 1570 by British historian John Foxe (1516/17 - 1587), chronicling the stories of all known Christian martyrs from the persecutions of the early church up to oppression targeted against Protestants in the sixteenth century. Foxe's original text was massive in scope, literally thousands of pages long; this abridged, one-volume version, carefully edited by Paul L. Maier (professor emeritus of ancient history, western Michigan University) and R. C. Linnenkugel (a former student of Dr. Maier) takes care to include every martyr mentioned in the original version. An index and an assortment of classical portraits and paintings in full color enrich this accessible condensation of a classic work of scholarship. Maier's abridgement is especially recommended for its accessibility; archaic terms and phrases have been rewritten in plain terms for modern-day readers, and commentary has been added to help place historical figures in context. Foxe's Book of Martyrs is highly recommended for public, college, and church library collections.


The Political Science Shelf

Struggling for the Soul of Our Country
Preston M. Browning Jr.
Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781498209960, $64.00, HC, 338pp, www.amazon.com

In "Struggling for the Soul of Our Country", author Preston Browning (a member of the English Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago for thirty years, as well as a Fulbright lecturer in Yugoslavia) focuses on a series of fundamental issues with respect to the issue of: what does it mean to struggle for the soul of a country and how does the life of citizenship influence our common future? While discussing major cultural and political issues, Professor Browning addresses the deeper questions haunting many of our citizens and reflects upon the spiritual dimension of the crises America faces today. With essays such as "American Global Hegemony vs. the Quest for a New Humanity," "Why I Am a Christian Socialist," and "American Dystopia" Professor Browning examine aspects of American political and cultural life in an effort to shed light on the pathologies that are undermining the health of the country's soul. "Struggling for the Soul of Our Country" invites the reader to examine the development of America as a militaristic empire, initiating multiple wars abroad, including a disastrous war in Iraq, and fostering at home a culture of violence that led to the assassination of an American president, John F. Kennedy, by agents of the US government. Impressively well reasoned, written, organized and presented, "Struggling for the Soul of Our Country" is very highly recommended as a core addition to community and academic library Contemporary American Political Science collections and supplemental studies lists. For students and non-specialist general readers it should be noted that "Struggling for the Soul of Our Country" is also available in a paperback edition (9781498209946, $39.00) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).


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