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Library Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 7 July 2014 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Environmental Studies Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Biology Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Art Shelf
Biography Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Economic Studies Shelf Business Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Computer Shelf
Law/Justice Shelf Science Shelf Education Shelf
Library Science Shelf Military Shelf Sports Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Literary Studies Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Once I Too Had Wings
Emma Bell Miles, author
Steven Cox, editor
Ohio University Press
215 Columbus Road, Suite 101, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821420874, $28.95, www.amazon.com

Emma Bell Miles (1879 - 1919) was a writer, poet, and artist whose works capture the essence of the natural world and the culture of Southern Appalachia. Edited and with an informative introduction by Appalachian history expert Steven Cox (who is the head of Special Collections and Archives in the Lupton Library at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) "Once I Too Had Wings: The Journals of Emma Bell Miles, 1908 - 1918" is a 352 page compendium comprised of the journal entries that read with an elegant prose as she descriptively documents ordinary and difficult life in the Appalachian mountain country (especially for women) and Miles' struggles with tuberculosis. Enhanced with an instructive foreword by Elizabeth S. d. Engelhardt, an Epilogue, a nine page section of Notes, and a useful Index, "Once I Too Had Wings: The Journals of Emma Bell Miles, 1908 - 1918" will prove to be a welcome and much appreciated addition to academic library Appalachian Studies, Women's Studies, and American Biography collections. It should be noted that "Once I Too Had Wings: The Journals of Emma Bell Miles, 1908 - 1918" is also available in both a hardcover (9780821420867, $59.95) and a Kindle edition ($13.79).

Living A Land Ethic
Stephen A. Laubach
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299298746, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Aldo Leopold (January 11, 1887 - April 21, 1948) was an American author, scientist, ecologist, forester, and environmentalist. A professor at the University of Wisconsin, Leopold was influential in the development of modern environmental ethics and in the movement for wilderness conservation. His ethics of nature and wildlife preservation had a profound impact on the environmental movement, with his ecocentric or holistic ethics regarding land. He emphasized biodiversity and ecology and was a founder of the science of wildlife management. In 1935, during a severe and prolonged drought, Aldo Leopold purchased an abandoned farm along the Wisconsin River near Baraboo, Wisconsin. The Leopold family used this depleted farm as a place to experiment with strategies and techniques for restoring environmental health to an ailing piece of previously exploited farmland. "Living a Land Ethic: A History of Cooperative Conservation on the Leopold Memorial Reserve" by environmentalist Stephen A. Laubach (Earth Partnership Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum) is a 154 page history of how Leopold's experimental farm evolved into a 1,600-acre reserve, becoming the Leopold Memorial Reserve in 1967 and a part of his monumental conservationist and land management legacy. Illustrated with black-and-white period photography, "Living a Land Ethic: A History of Cooperative Conservation on the Leopold Memorial Reserve" is very highly recommended reading and should be available in every Wisconsin community library and a seminal contribution to academic library Environmental History collection. It should be noted that "Living a Land Ethic: A History of Cooperative Conservation on the Leopold Memorial Reserve" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.95).


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Keeping The Wild
George Wuerthner, Eileen Crist, Tom Butler
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781610915588, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Collaborative compiled by the editorial team of George Wuerthner (Ecological Projects Director, Foundation for Deep Ecology), Eileen Crist (Department of Science and Technology in Society, Virginia Tech), and Tom Butler (Board President of the Northeast Wilderness Trust), "Keeping the Wild: Against the Domestication of Earth" is a 248 page compendium comprised of twenty-two major articles by experts in the field of environmental studies and conservation. Of special note are Tom Butler's introduction (Lives Not Our Own) and Kathleen Dean Moore's epilogue (The Road To Cape Perpetua). Enhanced with extensive Notes and a comprehensive Index, "Keeping the Wild: Against the Domestication of Earth" is a seminal body of impressive scholarship throughout and a very highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Environmental Studies and Conservation Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "Keeping the Wild: Against the Domestication of Earth" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.15).


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Sound Design
David Sonnenschein
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9780941188265, $19.95, www.amazon.com

David Sonnenschein is an award-winning Sound Designer who has directed feature films and teaches vibrational healing and sound design. In "Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema", Sonnenschein draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to write a 250 page instruction manual and guide that covers ever aspect of the use of music, sound effects, and the human voice in the creation of memorable and effective cinema. "Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema" should be considered as mandatory reading for anyone charged with the responsibility of creating a feature film or documentary. Very highly recommended for professional, technical college, and university film school instructional reference collections and curriculum supplements, it should be noted that "Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema" is also available in a library binding edition (9781615932023, $34.95, 272pp) and a Kindle edition ($11.57).

Detecting Canada
Jeannette Sloniowki & Marilyn Rose, editors
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
wlupress.wlu.ca
9781554589265, $39.99, www.amazon.com

Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Jeannette Sloniowki (Associate Professor of English, Brock University) and Marilyn Rose (Professor of English, Brock University), "Detecting Canada: Essays on Canadian Crime Fiction, Television, and Film" is the newest addition to the Wilfrid Laurier University Press 'Film & Media Studies' series. This 290 page compendium is comprised of twelve seminal studies organized into three major sections: History and Theory; Essays on Fiction; Essays on Television. Each a standard of meticulous and original scholarship, the articles themselves range from David Skene-Melvin's 'Canadian Crime Writing in English'; to Brian Johnson's 'Canadian Psycho: Genre, Nation, and Colonial Violence in Michael Slade's Gothic RCMP Procedurals'; to Patricia Gruben's 'Mounties and Metaphysics in Canadian Film and Television'. A valued and unique contribution, "Detecting Canada: Essays on Canadian Crime Fiction, Television, and Film" is very highly recommended for academic library Film & Media Studies reference collections in general, and Canadian Contemporary Popular Cultural Studies supplemental reading lists in particular.


The Biology Shelf

The Handy Biology Answer Book, second edition
Patricia Barnes-Svarney & Thomas E. Svarney
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
KT Public Relations (publicity)
9781578594900, $21.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of science writer Patricia Barnes-Svarney and scientist Thomas E. Svarney, "The Handy Biology Answer Book" is now in a fully updated and expanded second edition. This 500 page compendium covers a wide variety of biological topics ranging from stem cells, super bugs, and genetically modified food, to gene therapy, DNA profiling, and cloning, to botany, zoology, and sex. Of special note are the chapters focusing on Plant Diversity; Aquatic and Land Animal Diversity; Environment and Ecology; and Biology in the Laboratory. Enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive Glossary, six pages of a bibliography (Further Readings), and a comprehensive Index, "The Handy Biology Answer Book" is especially recommended for school and community library Biological Studies reference collections, and would be ideal for non-specialist general readers with an interest in learning more about biology and the human condition.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Elmore Leonard: Four Novels of the 1970s
Gregg Sutter, editor
The Library of America
14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022
www.loa.org
9781598533057, $35.00, www.amazon.com

The late Elmore John Leonard, Jr. (October 11, 1925 - August 20, 2013) was an American novelist and screenwriter. His earliest novels, published in the 1950s, were Westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures. Now The Library of America has brought out Leonard's best examples of crime fiction novels under one cover with "Elmore Leonard: Four Novels of the 1970s". This 800 page, hardcover volume is comprised of Fifty-Two Pickup; Swag; Unknown Man No. 89; and The Switch. Enhanced with the inclusion of a chronology of Leonard's life (prepared with materials drawn from his own personal archive), Notes on the Text, and Notes on each of the four novels, "Elmore Leonard: Four Novels of the 1970s" is an ideal and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library 20the Century American Fiction collections.


The Art Shelf

The Art of Painting in Colonial Quito
Suzanne L. Stratton-Pruitt, editor
Judy de Bustamante, organizer
Saint Joseph's University Press
5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131
www.sjupress.com
9780916101695, $75.00, www.amazon.com

The collaborative effort of art historian Suzanne L. Stratton-Pruitt and Quito art project organizer Judy de Bustamante, "The Art of Painting in Colonial Quito" is a bilingual (English/Spanish), beautifully illustrated, 336 page, coffee table book comprised of contributions from six experts in Colonial Quito art which are ably translated into English for an American readership by Blanca Serrano Ortiz de Solorzano. The sixth volume in the outstanding Saint Joseph's University Press 'Early Modern Catholicism and the Visual Arts' series, "The Art of Painting in Colonial Quito" showcases the painters of Quito in the Kingdom of new Granada in South America during the Spanish colonial period ranging from the 16th to the 19th century. The informed and informative commentary is enhanced with the inclusion of 231 superbly reproduced paintings in full color. A seminal work of truly exceptional scholarship, "The Art of Painting in Colonial Quito" is very highly recommended as a seminal addition to academic library Art History reference collections and would make an ideal choice as community library Memorial Fund acquisition.


The Biography Shelf

Richard III, revised edition
Desmond Seward
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.us
9781605985756, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Richard III (2 October 1452 - 22 August 1485) was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at Bosworth Field, the last decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, symbolizes the end of the Middle Ages in England. "Richard III: England's Black Legend" by Desmond Seward is a 336 page biography of one of England's most notorious monarchs. This new edition has been revised and expanded to include a new preface by Seward to include the archaeological discovery of King Richard's burial site. An impressively detailed and deftly written historical work that is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99), "Richard III: England's Black Legend" is informed and informative, making it a highly prized and recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Historical Biography collections and British History supplemental studies reading lists.

Elizabeth de Burgh, Lady of Clare (1295-1360)
Jennifer Ward, editor
Suffolk Records Society / Boydell Press
c/o Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.boydellandbrewer.com
9781843838913, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Elizabeth de Clare (16 September 1295 - 4 November 1360) was the heiress to the lordships of Clare, Suffolk in England and Usk in Wales. She was the youngest of the three daughters of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and Joan of Acre, and sister of Gilbert de Clare, who later succeeded as the 7th Earl. Born in Acre, she is commonly referred to as Elizabeth de Burgh, due to her first marriage to John de Burgh. Her two successive husbands were Theobald II de Verdun (of the Butler family) and Roger D'Amory. Compiled, translated, and edited by medieval history Jennifer Ward, "Elizabeth de Burgh, Lady of Clare (1295-1360)" is a 222 page compendium comprised of a chronologically organized and presented record of financial expenditures beginning Elizabeth de Burgh and Clare accounts during the Autumn of 1326, to9 The Wardrobe and Household Account (1339-40). This is followed by accounting details for Clare Castel; Food Hospitality and Travel; Estates and Lordship; as well as Patronage and Influence. Of special interest is 'The Will of Elizabeth de Brugh, 1355) that concludes the primary texts. Enhanced with four major illustrations, an appendix, a glossary, and index of people and places, and an index of subjects, "Elizabeth de Burgh, Lady of Clare (1295-1360)" is an impressive work of seminal scholarship and an important contribution to academic library Medieval Studies reference collections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Dealing with Diabetes Burnout
Ginger Vieira
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, NY, NY 10036
www.demoshealth.com
9781936303595, $18.95, www.amazon.com

Diabetes mellitus (DM) also known as simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. This high blood sugar produces the symptoms of frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger. Untreated, diabetes can cause many complications. Acute complications include diabetic ketoacidosis and nonketotic hyperosmolar coma. Serious long-term complications include heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, foot ulcers and damage to the eyes. For those having to deal with a condition of diabetes, the daily efforts of taking blood sugar readings, adhering to proper diets and exercise, losing weight, etc. can be difficult to keep up with. But that kind of failure can and will result in horrific health problems directly related to uncontrolled or untreated diabetes. "Dealing with Diabetes Burnout: How to Recharge and Get Back on Track When You Feel Frustrated and Overwhelmed Living with Diabetes" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone and everyone having to deal with being a diabetic. Author and diabetic Ginger Vieira (and the Editorial Director at DiabetesDaily.com) has written an instructive and practical manual for maintaining and enduring a diabetes management necessitated life. Practical, with a much appreciated touch of humor, "Dealing with Diabetes Burnout: How to Recharge and Get Back on Track When You Feel Frustrated and Overwhelmed Living with Diabetes" needs to be a part of every community library's Health & Medicine collection.


The American History Shelf

The Horrell Wars
David Johnson
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415506 $24.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

The Horrell Wars: Feuding in Texas and New Mexico is a close study of the lawless Horrell brothers of Lampasas, Texas, focusing on the years after the Civil War. History has largely painted them as brigands, cattle rustlers, and cold-blooded murderers. While the brothers and their associates have a great deal of innocent blood on their hands, The Horrell Wars reveals a level of complexity skimmed over in other references - the brothers were frequently (but not always!) clashing with equally murderous individuals or families. During their infamous "race war" against Mexican-American settlers, they survived a merciless plot instigated by a priest to burn their entire family alive, including women and children; then, they engaged in the horrific slaughter of innocent Mexican-American civilians during a dance celebration. A saga of violence, savagery, and the dark side of human nature, The Horrell Wars is enthralling to scholars and lay readers alike.

'Light Horse Harry' Lee In the War for Independence
Jim Piccuch & John Beakes
Nautical & Aviation Publishing Company
845A Lowcountry Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
www.nauticalandaviation.com
9781877853739, $28.95, 268pp, www.amazon.com

Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 - March 25, 1818), also known as Light-Horse Harry Lee, was an early American patriot who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. During the American Revolution, Lee served as a cavalry officer in the Continental Army and earned the nickname "Light-Horse Harry". It is interesting to note that 'Light Horse Harry' Lee was also the father of Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Co-authored by Jim Piccuch (Associate Professor of History, Kennesaw State University, Georgia) and military historian John Beakes, "'Light Horse Harry' Lee In the War for Independence" is a 268 page descriptive history of Lee's impressive involvement in the various battles during American Revolution. Of special note is the concluding chapter on 'Lee's Life After the War' where we learn that he was a pauper when he died. However, he was cared for, then buried by General Nathanael Greene's daughter on her father's plantation in Georgia. Then he was later reburied with his son, Robert E. Lee, at Lexington, Virginia. An impressive and informative account, "'Light Horse Harry' Lee In the War for Independence" is very highly recommended reading and an invaluable addition to both community and academic library American Revolutionary War collections.


The World History Shelf

Peace after the Final Battle
John Dorney
New Island
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781848402720, $29.99, www.amazon.com

In Irish history, the revolutionary period was the period in the 1910s and early 1920s when Irish nationalist opinion shifted from the Home Rule-supporting Irish Parliamentary Party to the republican Sinn Fein movement. There were several waves of civil unrest linked to republicanism, Ulster loyalism, and trade unionism, leading to the Partition of Ireland into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State. The "Irish Revolution" has no universally agreed limiting dates. In a narrow sense, it may mean the period from the Easter Rising of 1916 to the ceasefire of the Irish War of Independence in June 1921; later generations of Irish nationalists regarded the physical force republicanism of these years with approbation. The early years of the Free State, founded by the winners of the Irish Civil War against those who held out for a full republic, have been described as a counter revolution. "'Peace after the Final Battle': The Story of the Irish Revolution 1912-1924" by John Dorney is a 384 page compendium providing an informed and informative chronologically organized and presented history of the conflict including the major personalities, conflicts, and politics involved. Exceptionally well written and presented, "'Peace after the Final Battle': The Story of the Irish Revolution 1912-1924" is enhanced with the inclusion of a forty page Bibliography and a comprehensive Index, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library 20th Century Irish History reference collections, as well as the to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in the Irish Revolution. It should be noted that "'Peace after the Final Battle': The Story of the Irish Revolution 1912-1924" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Economic Studies Shelf

Big Picture Economics
Joel L. Naroff & Ron Scherer
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9780470641811, $34.95, www.amazon.com

Economics is the social science that studies the behavior of individuals, households, and organizations (called economic actors, players, or agents), when they manage or use scarce resources, which have alternative uses, to achieve desired ends. Agents are assumed to act rationally, have multiple desirable ends in sight, limited resources to obtain these ends, a set of stable preferences, a definite overall guiding objective, and the capability of making a choice. There exists an economic problem, subject to study by economic science, when a decision (choice) is made by one or more resource-controlling players to attain the best possible outcome under bounded rational conditions. In other words, resource-controlling agents maximize value subject to the constraints imposed by the information the agents have, their cognitive limitations, and the finite amount of time they have to make and execute a decision. Economic science centers on the activities of the economic agents that comprise society. They are the focus of economic analysis. Co-authored by professional economic forecaster Joel L. Naroff and veteran economic journalist Ron Scherer, "Big Picture Economics: How to Navigate the New Global Economy" is a 256 page compendium that provides a basic course of instruction that will prove to be especially useful for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in understanding economics and a desire to improve their own financial standing and the performance of their financial investments. Very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Economic Studies collections, it should be noted that "Big Picture Economics: How to Navigate the New Global Economy" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).


The Business Shelf

Digital Branding
Daniel Rowles
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.koganpageusa.com
9780749469955, $29.95, www.amazon.com

In today's computerized and digitalized world of commerce, digital branding is vital to corporate success in a highly competitive marketplace. Social media has become a critically important aspect of advertising and promotion and requires professional expertise in its development, implementation, and goal oriented evaluations. "Digital Branding: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Strategy, Tactics and Measurement" by digital branding and marketing expert Daniel Rowles is a 232 page instruction manual the provides a step-by-step, practical framework for brand planning, channel selection and measuring the effectiveness of brand campaigns. "Digital Branding" covers content marketing, social media, search optimization, web analytics, and more. Of special note is the use of real illustrative world case studies, the inclusion of a guide to free and paid tools to help measure the ROI from various online channels, and practical examples of social guidelines, process and policy. "Digital Branding" is a seminal guide that should be considered a mandatory study for anyone charged with corporate responsibilities for advertising and promoting their company's services and/or products. It should also be noted that "Digital Branding: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Strategy, Tactics and Measurement" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.17).


The Cookbook Shelf

Salad Samurai
Terry Hope Romero
Lifelong Books / Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738214870, $19.99, www.amazon.com

Overall and on average, most Americans don't eat enough salads. That unhappy fact is one of the contributing factors to the current obesity epidemic. When asked why, the typical response is that salads are uninteresting compared to fast food restaurant menus and microwave ready-to-eat meals. That's why "Salad Samurai: 100 Cutting-Edge, Ultra-Hearty, Easy-to-Make Salads You Don't Have to Be Vegan to Love" will prove to be an invaluable, 'kitchen cook friendly' addition to all personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this 192 page compendium of outstanding salad recipes compiled by Terry Hope Romero offers dishes ranging from a Pepperoni Tempeh Pizza Salad; to an Italian Wedding Farro Salad; to Grilled Goji Seitan Salad; to a Strawberry Spinach Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing; to 96 other palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, wonderfully nutritious salads. Of special note is are the recipes for a variety of dressings. Especially recommended for parents of children reluctant to eat a salad and for anyone trying to establish healthy eating habits, "Salad Samurai: 100 Cutting-Edge, Ultra-Hearty, Easy-to-Make Salads You Don't Have to Be Vegan to Love" will prove to be an enduringly popular culinary reference.

Summer Favorites
Monica Musetti-Carlin & Mary Elizabeth Roarke
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578263844, $12.50, www.amazon.com

Showcasing more than one hundred summer grilling and outdoor cooking recipes, "Summer Favorites: Country Comfort" is a 208 page compendium that is enhanced with the inclusion of basic tips for grilling all types of meats and vegetables, lists of essentials to stock in the kitchen that will enable the timely preparation for quick and delicious summer meals, as well as a customized meal and menu planner. The thoroughly 'user friendly' recipes range from Whole-Wheat Peaches-and-Cream Muffins; Grilled Fig, Brie, and Prosciutto Pizza; Elegant Watermelon Salad; Homemade Ginger Ale; and Tandori Chicken; to Thai Peanut Noodles; Mexican Shrimp Cocktail; New York Strip Steaks with Avocado Butter and Charred Corn Salsa; and Strawberries Napoleon. "Summer Favorites: Country Comfort" is an extraordinary collection that is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Best Green Drinks Ever
Katrine Van Wyk
The Countryman Press
43 Lincoln Corners Way/P.O. Box 748
Woodstock, Vermont 05091
www.countrymanpress.com
9781581572278, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Anyone with a blender can convert vegetables into a healthy, nutritious, and tasty liquid beverage -- especially if they have Katrine Van Wyk's "Best Green Drinks Ever: Boost Your Juice with Protein, Antioxidants and More". This beautifully illustrated, 200 page compendium showcases thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for turning veggies into a drinkable form that is especially ideal for anyone with limited time due to a hectic personal schedule. Replete with 'tips and tricks', anyone can now sneak frozen spinach into a berry smoothie so palate pleasing that the spinach goes unnoticed. Another little benefit is freezing a week's worth of juice into ice cube trays for easy fixings anytime. Still another bit of advice is adding a scoop of whey protein powder for an extra 20 grams of protein in a veggie-based drink. Ideal for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, "Best Green Drinks Ever: Boost Your Juice with Protein, Antioxidants and More" is highly recommended for personal and community library collections alike. It should be noted that "Best Green Drinks Ever: Boost Your Juice with Protein, Antioxidants and More" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.52).

The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book
Sarah Davies & Kristy Taylor
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
www.lyonspress.com
9780762793297, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Nothing is so American as the hamburger. Nothing is so 21st Century American as the veggie burger. Compiled by the mother-daughter team of Sarah Davies and Kristy Taylor (co-owners of The Naked Kitchen web site), "The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book: Delicious Plant-Based Burgers, Fries, Sides, and More" is a 240 page compendium packed from cover to cover with beautifully illustrated, kitchen cook friendly, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying vegetarian dishes that would grace any dining occasion. Beginning with the fundamentals on 'going organic', burgers basics, storage and reheating, beans and rice, stocking the pantry, and answers to frequently asked questions, "The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book: Delicious Plant-Based Burgers, Fries, Sides, and More" goes on to showcase a profusion of recipes for bean burgers, vegetable burgers, burger buns, condiments and toppings, sides and salads, and beverages. Of special note is the 'Beyond Burgers' covering a variety of mouth watering recipes for everything from a Potato Breakfast Hash; and a Nacho Cheese Taco Salads; to Stuffed Eggplant, and Asian Lettuce Wraps. An outstanding cornucopia of meal planning ideas that is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.49), "The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book: Delicious Plant-Based Burgers, Fries, Sides, and More" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library Vegetarian Cookbook collections.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

The Return of Zita the Spacegirl
Ben Hatke
First Second
175 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9781626720589 $18.99 www.firstsecondbooks.com

The Return of Zita the Spacegirl is the third full-color, full-length graphic novel about the high-stakes adventure of Zita the Spacegirl. Seeking to liberate her friend Mouse, Zita has been captured by the enigmatic ruler of Dungeon World, a hidden prison planet controlled by hostile forces! Sentenced to the dungeons for the "crime" of saving the world of Lumponia from the carnivorous Star Hearts (which are apparently an "endangered species"), Zita is bereft of her technology, but not her wits - or her will to save everyone she can! Zita can't stand up to the rulers of gigantic space prison all by herself; help comes from the strangest of places, including a mysterious, blue-cowled figure - who is this shadow, and why does it seem to know Zita better than she knows herself? Action, bravery, and empathy characterize this high-stakes adventure for readers of all ages who love science fiction and courageous heroines. Highly recommended, as are the previous graphic novels "Zita the Spacegirl" and "Legends of Zita the Spacegirl".


The Audiobook Shelf

To Marry an English Lord
Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace, authors
Kate Reading, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781494501464 $39.99 www.tantor.com

Well-known as an inspiration for the popular television series "Downton Abbey", To Marry an English Lord: Tales of Wealth and Marriage, Sex and Snobbery is the unabridged audiobook rendition of an extraordinary anthology of true stories about wealthy American heiresses who married debt-ridden yet highly prestigious and titled British aristocrats, in the post-Civil War era. While the incentive for the grooms in such unions is obvious (money), the motivations for the women are not as transparent - especially given America's history of fighting for independence from royalist Britain. The disadvantages to marrying an English lord could mean a loveless or distant relationship punctuated by the lord's marital affairs, being surrounded by stifling classism, neglect, and having to live in a drafty, uncomfortable castle. And yet the appeal of the idea continued through the generations... To Marry an English Lord is a fascinating glimpse of human nature and American fascination with British aristocracy, highly recommended. 8 CDs, 9 hours.

The Vicar Of Wakefield
Oliver Goldsmith
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843797777, $41.98, www.amazon.com

Oliver Goldsmith (10 November 1730 - 4 April 1774) was an Irish novelist, playwright and poet, who is best known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), his pastoral poem The Deserted Village (1770), and his plays The Good-Natur'd Man (1768) and She Stoops to Conquer (1771, first performed in 1773). A true classic tragicomedy regaling the 18th century experiences of Doctor Primrose and his family, "The Vicar Of Wakefield" is now available as an unabridged audio book that is expertly narrated by professional stage actor Nicholas Farrell. With flawless technical production values, the 6 CD edition has a running time of 7 hours, 1 minute, and 30 seconds. A superbly enacted performance that does full justice to a British literary treasure, the Naxos edition of "The Vicar Of Wakefield" is unreservedly recommended for personal, highschool, community, and university library audio book collections.

China Dolls
Lisa See, author
www.lisasee.com
Jodi Long, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780385394154 $45.00 www.randomhouseaudio.com

Brought to life through the performance of award-winning actress Jodie Long, China Dolls is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of the novel by bestselling author Lisa See (named 2001 National Woman of the Year by The Organization of Chinese American Women). In 1938 San Francisco, the World's Fair is preparing to open, yet a deadly war rages overseas. Three young women, each from drastically different backgrounds, meet by chance at a high-class nightclub. Grace Lee is an American-born Chinese girl who yearns to dance; Helen Fong feels all by smothered by her traditional parents and extended family in Chinatown; and Ruby Tom makes no secret of her lofty ambitions. Their friendship is a source of strength that enables each of them to pursue her own dream, but after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, paranoia, suspicion, and betrayal threaten to undermine all they've ever hoped for. Poignant, moving, and powerful, China Dolls is highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 12 CDs, 15 hours.


The Library CD Shelf

Sketches from an Island
Mark Barrott
International Feel Recordings
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
www.sketchesfromanisland.com
$19.47 CD / $7.92 MP3 www.amazon.com

Inspired by the musician Mark Barrott's home island of Ibiza off the coast of Spain, Sketches from an Island Vol's 1 & 2 is an album of relaxing, beautiful songs to soothe the spirit. Gentle dance beats, smoothly flowing melodies, and the sounds of birds form a warm, mellow listening experience perfect for easing stress and expanding one's imagination. A timeless, original treasury, Sketches from an Island makes a wonderful gift for any occasion. The tracks are "Baby Come Home", "Dr. Nimm's Garden of Intrigue & Delight", "Go Berri Be Happy", "Essene", "Formentera Headspace Blues (Pts. 1 & 2)", "Deep Water", "Island Life", "Back to the Sea", and "Sacred Islands".

Que Venga La Vida
Monica Giraldo
www.monicagiraldo.com
Polen
www.polenrecords.com
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Que Venga La Vida ("Let Life Come") is a Spanish-language guitar and voice album by Columbian musician Monica Giraldo, with instrumental assistance from various other performers. Giraldo studied in the U.S., earning a degree in voice, songwriting, and performance, which she has since used to realize her talent and vision for Columbian music. Que Venga La Vida is an album of songs she created for festivals, songs that put a new spen on beloved Columbian musical traditions, and songs that speak from the heart about the joys of life itself. Highly recommended, especially for world music collections. The tracks are "Tal vez", "Gran intento", "Molinos de viento", "Asi lo canto yo", "Deja", "Dulce boca", "Lejos esta el final", "Para volver a bailar", "Otro momento", and "Un gusto estar aqui".

Radio Flor
Cascada de Flores
www.cascadadeflores.com
Ita Music
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

California-based acoustic Latin ensemble Cascada de Flores presents Radio Flor, a Spanish-language music album that embraces Mexican and Cuban music traditions. Many songs in Radio Flor are performances of beloved Mexican and Cuban hits from the first half of the twentieth century, such as the 1933 Cuban bolero "Como Fue". A nostalgic re-visiting of cherished musical treasures, spiced with Cascada de Flores' unique style and boundless enthusiasm, Radio Flor is highly recommended. The tracks are "Sintonia" (0:41), "La Chuparrosa" (6:36), "La Calandria" (3:28), "Claveles" (5:36), "La Hora Azul" (0:24), "La Gloria Eres Tu" (5:05), "With A Song In My Heart" (7:22), "Jardinero De Amor" (5:13), "Estrella Solitaria" (6:19), "El Dandy" (0:19), "Maria Cristina" (5:35), "Marla" (6:04), "Collar De Perlas" (4:18), "El Butaquito" (4:48), "Salsas El Brujo" (0:12), "El Cachuatero" (4:50), "Como Fue" (4:41), and "Campanitas" (0:13).

The Island of Dr Electrico
The Bombay Royale
Hope Street Recordings
www.hopestreetrecordings.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
www.pressjunkiepr.com
$17.99 CD / $7.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

The second album by Melbourne-based, Bollywood-inspired ensemble The Bombay Royale, The Island of Dr Electrico is a blend of exotic music and adventurous storytelling. Songs tell of the overgrown, tropical island of Dr Electrico, a monstrous mad scientist who performs black experiments on kidnapped victims. Two protagonists struggle to survive the nightmare: The Tiger and The Mysterious Lady. Vocals, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, synthesizer, guitar, and intense percussion bring the terrible adventure to vivid life, in this unforgettable music experience, in kindred storytelling sprit to (although not quite the same musical genre as) the Styx album "Kilroy Was Here". The tracks are "Ankhiyan", "Wild Stallion Mountain", "Khubsoorat Bewafa", "Henna Henna", "Tere Bina", "Hooghly Night Patrol", "(Give Me Back My) Bunty Bunty", "Gyara 59", "The Bombay Twist", "The Island of Dr Electrico", "Falcon's Landing", and "The River".

Classic African American Songsters
Smithsonian Folkways
www.folkways.si.edu
c/o Shore Fire Media (publicity)
http://shorefire.com
$11.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Classic African American Songsters is an album of 21 classic musical tracks from the Smithsonian Folkways archives, including four previously unreleased, showcasing the timeless talent of famous African-American musicians. As much a treasury of history as it is a thoroughly engaging, rhythmic tour of styles ranging from ragtime and country to Tin Pan Alley, blues and its hybrids, string band, and more, Classic African American Songsters is unforgettable. Highly recommended, especially for public library music collections. The tracks are "Bring It On Down To My House" (2:02, Warner Williams with Jay Summerour), "Talking Blues" (2:26, Pink Anderson), "Nobody's Business (If I Do)" (3:15, John Jackson), "Alabama Bound" (2:17, Little Brother Montgomery), "Pallet On The Floor" (3:09, Brownie McGhee), "Chicken, You Can't Roost Too High For Me" (3:16, Bill Williams), "My Hula Love" (2:16, Lead Belly), "Candy Man" (2:32, Reverend Gary Davis), "Going Down The Road Feeling Bad" (3:32, John Cephas and Phil Wiggins), "Froggy Went A-Courting" (4:10, Peg Leg Sam), "Monday Morning Blues" (5:52, Mississippi John Hurt), "The Boys Of Your Uncle Sam" (2:03, Pink Anderson), "Raise A Ruckus Tonight" (2:49, Brownie McGhee), "Reno Factory" (2:09, Marvin Foddrell), "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" (3:07, John Jackson), "Honeysuckle Rose" (2:05, Warner Williams with Jay Summerour), "Bill Bailey" (1:55, Big Bill Broonzy), "When The Roses Bloom Again" (2:05, Bill Williams), "Straighten Up And Fly Right" (3:14, Peg Leg Sam), "Careless Love" (2:33, Snooks Eaglin), and "They Cut Down The Old Pine Tree" (2:20, Martin, Bogan, and Armstrong).


The Library DVD Shelf

A Will for the Woods
A film by Amy Browne, Jeremy Kaplan, Tony Hale, & Brian Wilson
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1941545041 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Licensed for public performance, A Will for the Woods is a DVD documentary about the "green burial" movement, which may become as crucial as any other effort to preserve the environment as human populations continue to grow. Some common funeral practices are known to be toxic, wasteful, designed to preserve the corpse at the expense of the biosphere. Is there a way that one's final resting place can benefit the Earth instead? Musician and psychiatrist Clark Wang decides to find out, investigating a social movement devoted to using burial to conserve and restore natural areas, perhaps even save a tract of forest. The potential for the end of life's cycle to promote conservation and renewal is profound, in this ultimately life-affirming portrayal. Highly recommended. 93 minutes, SDH captions.

San Antonio Missions
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244 Avenue SE
Issaquah, WA 98027
9781604901764 $24.95 www.Bennett-Watt.com

Part of the excellent Discoveries... America National Parks DVD series San Antonio Missions & The Alamo, Presidio La Bahia (Goliad) & El Camino Real, Texas is a striking tour of historic sites, shown in gorgeous high definition and enhanced with insightful historic commentary. Locations covered include the (in)famous Alamo, where the heroic stand and sacrifice of fierce defenders became a courageous symbol of independence and liberty; Goliad, site of the Goliad Massacre (a systematic execution of Republic of Texas soldier-prisoners, by the orders of then-President of Mexico Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna); and the frontier development site El Camino Real. Stone restoration efforts and a view of San Antonio Riverwalk round out captivating tour, easily the next best thing to witnessing these historic sites in person. Highly recommended, especially for public library DVD shelves. 50 min.

Anna Karenina
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621722571 $59.99 www.acornonline.com

Anna Karenina is the BBC adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel, first aired on "Masterpiece Theatre" in 1977. Set in 1870s Imperial Russia, Anna Karenina is about the human quest for happiness against all odds. Anna (played by Nicola Pagett) is a young, beautiful woman trapped in a loveless marriage to a much older man, Karenin (Eric Porter). When she meets the suave cavalry officer Count Vronsky (Stuart Wilson), her life is never the same again - but can the rigid demands of society ever be resisted, much less swayed? Unfolding over the course of ten full-length episodes, Anna Karenina is an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Limited Series, exploring all the story lines and characters of Tolstoy's epic saga in depth. Highly recommended, especially for public library DVD collections. 10 episodes on 3 DVDs, 539 min., SDH subtitles, full screen.

Peter Brook: The Tightrope
A film by Simon Brook
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$27.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Peter Brook: The Tightrope is a documentary about the instructional techniques of one of the world's most widely respected directors of contemporary theater. To help stage actors refine their performances, Peter Brook has created an exercise dubbed "The Tightrope", and refined it over decades of use. His son Simon Brook has created this expose of how The Tightrope works in practice, fostering a new appreciation for the lengths that actors train themselves to create a truly convincing performance. Bonus materials include interviews of the actors and a photo gallery. Peter Brook: The Tightrope is fascinating to view in its own right, and an excellent resource for any theater director or coach interested in utilizing Brook's techniques. Highly recommended. 83 min, subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

Forget Me Not
A film by David Sieveking
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
$295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Licensed for public performance, Forget Me Not: Losing Memory - Finding Love is a personal documentary in which filmmaker David Sieveking shows the daily life and care of his mother Gretel, who has Alzheimer's disease. Forget Me Not shows both the pain of caring for a loved one who is losing her memories, and the joy of an opportunity to reconnect with close family. Forget Me Not is as much about the celebration of a long and eventful life as it is about the tragedy of mental decline; vivid, unforgettable, and highly recommended. 83 min., German with English subtitles.


The Computer Shelf

Build An Awesome PC: 2014 Edition
Mike Riley
Pragmatic Programmers
2831 Eldorado Parkway, #103-381
Frisco, TX 75033-7438
www.pragprog.com
9781941222171, $17.00, www.amazon.com

A personal computer (PC) is a general-purpose computer, whose size, capabilities and original sale price makes it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator. "Build an Awesome PC: Easy Steps to Construct the Machine You Need" by computer expert Mike Riley is a 130 page instruction manual that will enable anyone to build their own personal computer while having fun and saving the expense of buying a new computer 'off the shelf'. Easy-to-follow instructions and plenty of photos shows how to assemble a personal computer from start to finish, all while carefully pointing out areas of interest and best practices for each major component used. Practical, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Build An Awesome PC" is highly recommended for personal and community library instructional reference collections.


The Law/Justice Shelf

Every Landlord's Legal Guide, twelfth edition
Marcia Stewart, Ralph Warner, Janet Portman
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413320169, $44.99, www.amazon.com

A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, land or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant (also a lessee or renter). When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner. The term landlady may be used for female owners, and lessor applies to both genders. Being a landlord requires compliance with local and state laws governing the rental of properties - including tenants rights. "Every Landlord's Legal Guide" is an informed, informative, authoritative, 488 page compendium covering the legal aspects of leases, deposits, anti-discrimination, repairs, rent withholding, disclosures, terminations, evictions for renting or leasing properties in every state of the country. Of special value for novice and inexperienced landlords are the provision of legal forms and checklists. Thoroughly 'user friendly' throughout, this fully updated twelfth edition comes with downloadable forms and free legal updates at www.nolo.com along with hundreds of valuable articles and FAQs, as well as profiles of landlord-tenant lawyers for every area of the country. Highly recommended and ideal for the non-specialist general reader, "Every Landlord's Legal Guide" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to professional and community library collections. It should also be noted that "Every Landlord's Legal Guide" is also available in a Kindle edition ($25.99).

Essentials of Nursing Law and Ethics, second edition
Susan J. Westrick
Jones & Bartlett Learning
5 Wall Street, Burlington, MA 01803
www.jblearning.com
9781284030204, $75.78, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded second edition, "Essentials of Nursing Law and Ethics" by nurse educator, attorney, and consultant Susan J. Westrick is a 388 page textbook focusing specifically on the legal aspects of the practice of nursing. New to this second addition is the inclusion of QSEN concepts and IOM recommendations; patient advocacy involving quality, safety, and whistleblowing; professional boundaries and social media; environmental health and safety; challenges around staffing; additional coverage on medication error reduction; ethical considerations and the ANA 'Code of Ethics for Nurses'. A deftly and accessible written and organized instruction manual that includes an interactive glossary of legal terms; scholarly references within each chapter, and NCLEX style review questions, "Essentials of Nursing Law and Ethics" is a complete and throughly 'student friendly' manual that is strongly recommended for Nursing School curriculums and academic library Health & Medicine reference collections.


The Science Shelf

Origin And Evolution Of Eukaryotes
Patrick J. Keeling & Eugene V. Koonin, editors
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
500 Sunnyside Boulevard, Woodbury NY 11797-2924
www.cshlpress.com
9781621820284, $135.00, www.amazon.com

A eukaryote is any organism whose cells contain a nucleus and other structures (organelles) enclosed within membranes. Eukaryotes are formally the taxon Eukarya or Eukaryota. The defining membrane-bound structure that sets eukaryotic cells apart from prokaryotic cells is the nucleus, or nuclear envelope, within which the genetic material is contained. The presence of a nucleus gives eukaryotes their name (which comes from the Greek eu, "well" and karyon, "nut" or "kernel"). Most eukaryotic cells also contain other membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria or the Golgi apparatus. In addition, plants and algae contain chloroplasts. Many unicellular organisms are eukaryotes, such as protozoa. All multicellular organisms are eukaryotes, including animals, plants and fungi. The newest addition to the 'Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology' series, by the collaborative editorial team of Patrick J. Keeling (Canadian Institute for Advanced research, University of British Columbia) and Eugene V. Koonin (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health), "Origin And Evolution Of Eukaryotes" is a 416 page compendium comprised of twenty-three seminal papers of outstanding scholarship ranging from 'Symbiosis as a General Principle in Eukaryotic Evolution' by Angela E. Douglas; to 'Paleobiological Perspectives on Early Eukaryotic Evolution' by Andrew H. Knoll, to 'Origins of Eukaryotic Sexual Reproduction' Ursula Goodenought and Josephy Heitman; to 'Bacterial Influences on Animal Origins' by Rosanna a. Alegado and Nicole King. Enhanced with a comprehensive Index, "Origin And Evolution Of Eukaryotes" is a body of extraordinary scholarship and will prove to be an invaluable addition to academic library reference Cytology and Molecular Biology reference collections.


The Education Shelf

Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards
James W. Pellegrino, Mark R. Wilson, Judith A. Koenig, and Alexandra S. Beatty, editors
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
9780309289511 $49.95 www.nap.edu

Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards is a resource designed to aid K-12 science educators in understanding and incorporating the Next Generation Science Standards, released in 2013. The purpose of the Next Generation Science Standards is to establish the core ideas and practices in science that students are expected to learn over the course of elementary to high school education. New assessments that take this curriculum into account need to be formulated. Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards suggests type of assessment tasks that will be required, as guidance to assessment developers, state-level education leaders, and educators themselves. Chapters examine the assessment design and validation process, assessment in the classroom or via monitoring, and impediments to the creation and implementation of a successful assessment system. Candid, practical, and in-depth, Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards is an invaluable repository of wisdom and highly recommended.

The Differentiated Classroom, second edition
Carol Ann Tomlinson
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416618607 $29.95 www.ascd.org

Now in an updated second edition that takes into account more than 15 years of implementation feedback from a wide variety of schools, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners is a professional-quality guide to "differentiated instruction" - teaching that accommodates the variable needs of different types of students in a single classroom. Some students may be learning English as a second language; some may have learning disabilities; and some simply find a given subject easier to grasp than others. How can a teacher help the struggling learners rise to their highest potential, keep the brightest students from being bored with the curriculum, and best prepare the class as a whole for the challenges of the twenty-first century? Chapters explore how to create a learning environment that supports differentiated instruction, instructional strategies ideal for differentiation, vital curriculum underpinnings as a basis for differentiation, and much more. "Early on, you may want to ask some students to work on an anchor activity and others to work on a different task that also requires no conversation or collaboration. This introduces the idea that students won't always do the same work. You create an atmosphere that's conducive to individual focus, and you emphasize attending to one's own work rather than focusing on what someone else does." In today's modern world of changing educational needs, The Differentiated Classroom is more valuable than than ever. Highly recommended.

Let's Talk About Math
Donna Kotsopoulos & Joanne Lee
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624
Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598575897 $29.95 www.brookespublishing.com

Expert educational professors Donna Kotsopoulos, Ph.D. and Joanne Lee, Ph.D. present Let's Talk About Math: The LittleCounters(R) Approach to Building Early Math Skills, a guide for parents and teachers to help infants and young children (ages 0-5) learn math basics by working simple counting and other concepts into everyday play and activities. Incorporating the authors' experiences in the popular LittleCounters(R) workshops, Let's Talk About Math teaches the reader about the mathematical thinking and abilities of young children, how to approach purposeful, play-based learning, incorporating subtle mathematical lessons into such everyday activities as mealtime, bedtime, simple chores, and grooming, and much more. An excellent resource for nursery school educators, caretakers, even parents and babysitters, Let's Talk About Math is highly recommended.

Subjects Matter, second edition
Harvey 'Smoke' Daniels & Steven Zemelman
Heinemann
PO Box 6926, Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926
www.heinemann.com
9780325050836, $38.75, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Subjects Matter: Exceeding Standards Through Powerful Content-Area Reading" by the team of education experts Harvey 'Smoke' Daniels and Steven Zemelman is a 336 page compendium comprised of ten chapters focused on the critical importance of 'content' for motivating children to become proficient and effective readers. From 'The Core Purposes of Reading'; 'How Smart Readers Think'; and 'Why Textbooks Are Not Enough'; to 'Inquiry Units'; Help for Struggling Students'; and 'Recommendations from Reading Research', this is a superbly written and presented instruction manual for classroom teachers and would prove to be of immense value to concerned and dedicated home-schooling parents. Offering 26 proven teaching strategies that meet and even exceed national standards; practical 'how-to' suggestions for engaging young readers through the utilization of 'real-world reading; how to get the most value out of 'boring' textbooks; the role of student collaboration in the learning process; and specifics for helping struggling students. Very highly recommended, "Subjects Matter: Exceeding Standards Through Powerful Content-Area Reading" should be a part of every academic library's Education Instruction reference collection.

The Special Artist's Handbook, second edition
Susan Rodriguez
Crystal Productions
1812 Johns Drive
Glenview, IL 60025-1581
9781562907082 $34.95 www.crystalproductions.com

Spiral-bound for ease of use, The Special Artist's Handbook is an educational resource filled with over 50 art projects, each with step-by-step instructions, suitable for art classrooms that teach autistic, learning-disabled, physically challenged, or sensory impaired children. From creating colorfully patterned paper mittens and hats, to watercolor paintings made to the sound of music, to creating art from X-rays, simple weaving, and more, The Special Artist's Handbook is a superb cache of inexpensive, hands-on activities that will prove especially valuable to elementary art teachers. Highly recommended.

STEP into Storytime
Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting and Kathy Fling Klatt
ALA Editions
50 East Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611
9780838912225 www.alastore.ala.org

Early literacy experts Ghoting and Klatt present STEP into Storytime: Using StoryTime Effective Practice to Strengthen the Development of Newborns to Five-Year-Olds is an in-depth handbook to using storytime to promote cognitive development in very young children. Chapters feature over 30 ready-to-use storytime activities, along with extension activities; discussions of how storytime materials and activities promote language and literacy development; tips, tricks, and techniques for preparation and performance; lists of additional resources; and much more. A "must-have" for children's librarians and nursery school teachers and caregivers, STEP into Storytime is a professional-quality resource distilling decades of education and experimentation into a throughly accessible "best practices" compendium. Highly recommended!

Connecting Animals and Children In Early Childhood
Patty Born Selly
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court
St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605541563 $24.95 www.redleafpress.org

Patty Born Selly (executive director of the National Center for STEM Elementary Education, St. Catherine University of St. Paul) presents Connecting Animals and Children In Early Childhood, a resource fo taking advantage of children's natural fascination with animals to foster educational opportunities. Even if live animals are not allowed in one's educational setting, there are still ways in which connecting with animals can improve cognitive and social-emotional development. "In determining where a favorite animal lives, go beyond simply 'the zoo.' If a child chooses an animal that doesn't live in your region, say, a zebra, research and find out together where zebras really live. Perhaps post a large world map, and help the children locate the regions in which their animal is found. Invite the children to write or draw a story about the place you researched, or an animal that lives there." Color photography and an index enhance this hands-on, idea-packed resource, especially recommended for preschool and elementary school teachers as well as homeschoolers.


The Library Science Shelf

Organizing Exhibitions
Freda Matassa
Facet Publishing
7 Ridgmount Street
London, England, WC1E 7AE
9781856049450 $99.95 www.facetpublishing.co.uk

International lecturer Freda Matassa (former Head of Collections Management at the Tate) presents Organizing Exhibitions: A Handbook for Museums, Libraries and Archives, an in-depth reference and resource for museum staff, librarians, and archivists. Chapters discuss how to take space, audience, and budgetary constraints into account; offer point-by-point checklists for each stage of creating the exhibit; outline concerns for opening day; highlight specific issues for an exhibit on tour; and much more. "...An emergency is anything that poses a threat to the objects in the exhibition. This could range from a power failure to a theft or an act of vandalism. It is important to draw up a risk assessment and a contingency plan and to make sure that everyone in the organization understands what to do... Lenders may ask to see a copy of your emergency plan before agreeing to the loan. Having an emergency plan is a condition of some indemnities and insurers. It also lends credibility to the organization and demonstrates professional practice." Organizing Exhibitions is a "must-have" for aspiring and practicing professionals, and highly recommended.

The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services
Heather Booth & Karen Jensen, editors
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838912249, $58.00, www.amazon.com

Whether for school work, personal entertainment, or simply expanding their interests, libraries are exceptional resources for adolescent readers. Compiled by the editorial team of teen services librarians Heather Booth (Chicago, Illinois) and Karen Jensen (Grand Prairie, Texas), "The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services" is a 224 page compendium comprised of instructive articles by experts and organized eight major sections: Who Are Teens?; Who Are We?; Teen Services; Programming; Collections; Marketing; Involvement; and Issues. Of special note are the inclusion of four appendices: A Sample Teen Services Plan; Your Teen Volunteer Plan; Your Teen-Driven Program Plan; and Marketing Resources: A Guide with Annotations. Informed and informative, "The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services" is a 'must read' for any library staff member charged with the responsibility of providing services to their adolescent patrons. Also very highly recommended is the American Library Association's "Booklist's 1000 Best Young Adult Books Since 2000" (9780836911501, $60.00, 343pp), newly compiled and edited by Gillian Engberg and Ian Chipman.


The Military Shelf

Brandywine
Michael C. Harris
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611211627 $34.95 www.savasbeatie.com

Also available as an ebook (9781611211634), Brandywine: A Military History of the Battle that Lost Philadelphia but Saved America, September 11, 1777 is an in-depth study and analysis of the strategic, political, and tactical elements of the largest battle of the American Revolution. It is the story of many brave Americans who took a defiant stand against General Sir William Howe, including a young George Washington. Though the Americans were pushed back, and Philadelphia eventually fell to the British, the Americans' ferocity and valor kept their forces from being decimated, and their trial by fire proved that the fledgling nation could fight on even terms with a long-established empire. Accessible to military historians and lay readers alike, Brandywine is highly recommended especially for public and college library collections.


The Sports Shelf

Federico Grisone's "The Rules of Riding"
Elizabeth MacKenzie Toby, editor & translator
Federica Brunori Deigan, translator
ACMRS
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
http://acmrs.org/publications
9780866985055, $75.00, www.amazon.com

Federico Grisone was a Neapolitan nobleman and one of the first masters of dressage and courtly riding. Referred to in his time as the "father of the art of equitation", he wrote "The Rules of Riding", which was first book on this subject to be published in early modern Europe. Grisone was admired and respected in his lifetime, and considered a great master of his time. His training methods profoundly influenced the training of horses in his day. Today his methods are criticized, particularly outside Italy, for their sometimes harsh treatment of the horse. "Federico Grisone's "The Rules of Riding": An Edited Translation of the First Renaissance Treatise on Classical Horsemanship" is a 628 page, edited translation into English for the benefit a new generation Renaissance Studies scholars. An extraordinary work of meticulous scholarship throughout, of special note is the inclusion of a glossary, a 'Selected Bibliography and Census of Editions of the Ordini', and an index for this highly recommended and valued addition academic library collections.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Simplified Tai Chi Chuan
Lian, Shou-Yu and Wu, Wen-Ching
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594392788, $16.95, www.amazon.com

T'ai chi ch'uan or taijiquan, often shortened to t'ai chi, taiji or tai chi in English usage, is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. It is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions, and longevity. As a result, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of t'ai chi ch'uan's training forms are especially known for being practiced with what most people would categorize as slow movement. Today, t'ai chi ch'uan has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of t'ai chi ch'uan trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, and Sun. Medical research has found evidence that t'ai chi is helpful for improving balance and for general psychological health, and that it is associated with general health benefits in older people. Now revised into a new and more user-friendly design, "Simplified Tai Chi Chuan: 24 Postures with Applications & Standard 48 Postures" is an illustrated, 240 page instruction manual that will help the novice tai chi practitioner understand the theories underlying basic tai chi concepts; learn warm-up exercises for safe tai chi exercises; and master the fundamentals of tai chi movements. Of special note are the inclusion of foot diagrams and movement descriptive black-and-white photo illustrations. A thoroughly 'user friendly' and comprehensive training manual, "Simplified Tai Chi Chuan: 24 Postures with Applications & Standard 48 Postures" is a very highly recommended addition to personal, dojo, and community library instructional reference collections.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

My Cat Has Arthritis - but lives life to the full!
Gill Carrick
Hubble & Hattie
9781845846183 $15.95 www.hubbleandhattie.com

Illustrated with full-color photography throughout, My Cat Has Arthritis - but lives life to the full! is a guide especially for pet owners whose beloved feline companions may be suffering from arthritis. Chapters discuss how to identify signs of arthritis in one's pet, treatments and quality of life actions ranging from simply elevating the food and water bowls (so the cat can reach them with less joint pain) to dietary recommendations and supplements, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy (the photo of a lifejacket-wearing cat exercising on a water treadmill is adorable!) and more. "As cats have an inherently low thirst drive, the water they take in from food is vital. Studies have shown that when a cat eats canned food coupled with having access to a water bowl, he'll consume double the amount of water compared to if he had a dry food diet." Highly recommended for its practical, veterinary science-backed, no-nonsense advice.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Women in Game of Thrones: Power, Conformity and Resistance
Valerie Estelle Frankel, author
McFarland & Co., Inc.
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
9781476615547, $35.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

"Women in Game of Thrones" is a powerful feminist review of the use of female characters and roles in the popular televised series based on the books by George R. R. Martin, "Game of Thrones." Without doubt this multi-faceted imaginary world of Westeros presents women in a dazzling array of conflicting and conflicted roles of power The question perhaps most central to Frankel's critical work is "is the show problematic or empowering (in its treatment of women and gender based reactions) (p. 184)?" The author concludes both qualities are heavily present, with perhaps a preponderance of reflexive feminist role models or an artificial limitation of choices for strong female characters of this or any era. After presenting a balanced view of both the sexual violence and a more gender balanced world view, as well as fan generated reactions to both tendencies quoted from blogs and other sources, Frankel suggests as an alternative world view of gender balanced characters and power, "Readers interested in adult fantasy novels with clever women from all ages and backgrounds should seek out works by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton, Juliet Marillier, Anne Bishop, and more (p. 183)." Regardless, "Women in Game of Thrones" pays full homage to the complex vision and plot mastering mind of its creator, George R. R. Martin. "Women in Game of Thrones" will be a popular, though relentlessly incisive and seriously analytic academic work of literary criticism to all lovers of excellent adult fantasy fiction.


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