What We're reading: Edward

Larry Bond's Red Dragon Rising: Shadows of War



by Larry Bond and Jim DeFelice




This novel is the beginning of a new four part series. By 2014 climactic change has lead to droughts and changes in crop yield all over the world. In the United States gasoline is over $14 a gallon and electricity is scarce. Mass riots have broken out in China. China's leadership has decided to relieve the pressure by attacking China's traditional enemies in Southeast Asia. The plan is to make it look like China was attacked by Vietnam. Josh MacArthur is a weather scientist studying the changing climate of northern Vietnam. His camp is destroyed by the invading Chinese. Josh captures the attack with his phone camera. He also films the Chinese army crossing the border into Vietnam. Josh uses his satellite phone to call for help. But the Chinese also listen to his cries for help. A Chinese commando unit is sent to find and kill him. Will he be able to elude both the commandos and the army? Is the United States willing and able to go to war over this invasion? Will the United States be able to rescue Josh from the Chinese forces?

What We're Reading: Cathy

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.

"She sells sea shells down by the sea shore." We grew up hearing this rhyme but I don't think any of us realized it was referring to a real person. The person was Mary Anning and she lived in Lyme Regis on the south shore of England. This is the story of how she came to be one of England's best fossil hunters, supplying such scientists as Charles Lyell, Georges Cuvier, William Buckland of Oxford University, and many others. Mary, with the help and support of Elizabeth Philpot - a woman of higher rank and education - struggled not only to find these "monsters" or "crocodiles" as they called them at first but also against the sexism of the time. Women weren't supposed to go out alone or get dirty or have "ideas" or even allowed to go into places like the Geological Society. Mary and Elizabeth formed a life-long friendship that helped change how people understand the history of the world.

If you like this book, you might also try Tracy Chevalier's other books based on historical people: The Girl with the Pearl Earring, The Lady and the Unicorn, and Burning Bright and also Rebecca Stott's Coral Thief which takes place in Paris and concerns Georges Cuvier's museum and fossils.

What We're Reading: Brenda

First Ballet by Deanna Caswell with Illustrations by Elizabeth Matthews and Birdies Big-Girl Shoes by Sujean Rim

These are two wonderful picture books for the little girly girl in your life.

In First Ballet a little girl goes to the ballet with her grandmother for the very first time. Although the book does not specifically state it the ballet is the Nutcracker. The text is short and to the point but has a nice rhyming quality to it and reads aloud well. The author recreates all the wonder of a young child's first visit to the ballet with the audience dressed up in their best, the raising of the curtain and the appearance of the graceful dancers on the stage. The illustrations are beautiful to look at and really capture the magic of the ballet!

Birdies Big-Girl Shoes is the story of a five year old little girl who longs to be just like her ultra-stylish mom. Every morning she helps her mother pick out the perfect jewelry, sunglasses and perfume. Her favorite though is her mom's collection of fancy high heel shoes! How she longs to try them on and do all of her favorite activities in "big-girl shoes." However, when she finally gets the chance to try she realizes that her "beautiful barefoot shoes" are still the best choice for her! The author is a former shoe and accessory designer and the illustrations in this book are colorful and fun. Little fashionistas will especially love looking at all of the gorgeous shoes!

What We're Reading: Tracy

Valentine Treasury: a Century of Valentine Cards, by Robert Brenner.

Love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is almost here! Although many now dismiss Valentine's Day as a "Hallmark holiday," it actually has deep historic roots, stretching all the way back to ancient Roman times. In America, the holiday can be traced through its primary symbol, the Valentine card, and this volume showcases one hundred years' worth of beautiful, funny, and surprising examples.

Check out Youth Services' display case, near the Information Desk, for a display of antique and vintage valentines this month.

What We're Reading: Jan

The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History by Jim Piazza and Gail Kinn

It's award season and perhaps looking at past Oscar contests will get us in the mood for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, March 7th, this year. This title will accomplish the goal. It has decade-by-decade facts about the ceremonies and the winners and losers. However, it also includes background information like who may have missed out on a particular role, important firsts in the movie business and a section called "Unmentionables," - anecdotes and controversies. For example, Russell Crowe won the Best Actor award for the film Gladiator and also acquired a broken foot bone, fractured hip and punctured cheek for his efforts. Another anecdote is a quip from The Exorcist director William Peter Blatty when he lost out for the Best Picture statue and complained, "The Exorcist is head and shoulders the finest film made this year." There are also 500+ photographs in the book that remind the reader of their favorite films and ceremony moments. Special sections of the book called "The Look of the Decade"cover fashion and glamour do's and don'ts through the years. All in all the book is a treasure-trove of fact and fun for everyone that loves the movies.

What We're reading: Edward

Lord of Death

by Eliot Pattison

Are you an armchair traveller?

Do you like mysteries?

Then try reading this series of mysteries that take place in Tibet. Shan Tao Yun was a top level investigator of crimes in China. But he crossed paths with someone who thought that he was too good at his job. So he is sent off to a Tibetan gulag to be reeducated. While in prison he meets two Buddhist monks. They become the salvation of both his spirit and mind. Upon his release Shan is a non-person stranded in Tibet. In the latest book, Shan is the designated transporter of the dead. While transporting a dead Sherpa, Shan finds two dead women near the sight of an ambushed prison bus. Are the two events related? Shan is again tortured by government officials. He may be made the scapegoat for the murders. Will he be able to clear himself by finding out the truth about the murders?

Shan's Tibet is not Shangri-La.

This series has an interesting point of view on China's dealings with Tibetan culture.

1999 Skull Mantra

2001 Water Touching Stone

2002 Bone Mountain

2004 Beautiful Ghosts

2008 Prayer of the Dragon

2009 Lord of Death

What We're Reading: Edward

People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's love affair with an ancient fish

by Kathleen Schmitt Kline, Ron Bruch, Fred Binkowski, and Bob Rashid

Last year did you read the article in the newspaper about the project to build sturgeon spawning beds off the shore of Belle Isle?

If this piqued your curiosity, you have to read this book! It tells the tale of the sturgeons of Lake Winnebago. You will read about the Native Americans who used the fish to survive. White settlers saw the fish as a commodity to be exploited. Sturgeon eggs were harvested and rivaled the fabled Russian caviar. Algonac was a local center of this trade. Overfishing and dams almost killed off the sturgeon. Luckily local fisherman formed a group to protect the sturgeon. They forced the state to study and protect the fish. We are all lucky that the sturgeon is making a comeback. A MUST read for both fishermen and environmentalists!