Storytime Resumes

It's September 14th and yes, storytime resumes tonight! Miss Shawnte is sharing some creepy, crawly Bug stories during Family Storytime as I type this entry.

Here's a complete schedule that is good until November 21st:

Family Storytime (children up to 5 years)--Monday at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Baby Bookworms (only children up to 23 months)--Tuesday at 9:30 and 10:30
Tales for 2s & 3s--Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
Fun for 4s & 5s--Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

There is also a bonus Spanish/English Story Hour on the third Friday of each month and there just so happens to be one this Friday at 10:30 a.m. Children 2-5 years are welcome and everyone will understand and have a great time because the stories, songs and all the fun are in both English and Spanish.

For more information call 417-623-2184.

1001 Foods You Must Taste Before You Die

For those of you who often read this column, let me assure you that I do not only read books about food. It just seems that way.

That said, today I’m writing about “1001 Foods You Must Taste Before You Die.” It’s one of six books we have on things you must see/do/hear/whatnot before you die. This one was kind of fun, so maybe I’ll check into “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die” or “1001 Historic Sites You Must See Before You Die” soon.

The book is primarily concerned with ingredients, but there are some prepared dishes (primarily baked goods and candies) included. The book is divided into fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, meats (including game), aromatics (which includes herbs, spices and condiments), grain, bakery and confections.

The vast majority of the descriptions have a picture of the food described as well as a half page of information, including where the food comes from and the common uses of it. The bottom of each entry gives a description of the taste of the food. The authors did a great job there, flavor descriptions not being easy (try it yourself if you don’t believe me — describe the taste of a watermelon).

Here’s the description of the taste of cherimoya fruit: “The cherimoya’s delicious, creamy white flesh tastes like a gentle blend of banana, papaya and pineapple with subtle hints of coconut, mango and vanilla.” I’d like to get hold of one of those after reading that!

There were a surprising number of fruits and vegetables that I had never even heard of, mostly tropical but a few from Europe and other regions. Sea buckthorn, anyone? How about a nice marula, mazhanje or mamoncillo?

As far as vegetables go, I wasn’t aware that anyone ate yucca flowers, specifically those of the flor de izote. I think I’ll pass on ackee, which must be fully ripe and even then only the pulp is edible. Unripe ackee pulp and all the rest of the plant is toxic and can be fatal. Goody. I had no idea there were so many types and varieties of soy products and I think I’ll content myself with just the knowledge of stinky tofu (hey, that’s what it’s called, don’t blame me). Apparently, it is generally eaten as street food, the authors suggesting that perhaps the aroma has something to do with that.

I like dairy, so I was enjoying myself reading the large section about the various cheeses available until I came to casu marzu. Due to its peculiar and unique composition, it is banned even in Sardinia, its country of origin. Given that some of you are no doubt reading this over breakfast or brunch (maybe a nice bagel with a schmear of cream cheese), I’ll leave it at that. If you want to know more, you’ll either have to read the book or google it.

There are, though, a number of much-lovelier sounding dairy products detailed, although I’ve had gjetost and once was enough. I would like to try some of the others, though. Maybe a nice idiazabal, a semihard to hard (depending on age) sheep’s milk cheese from the Pyrenees, available either smoked or not. Much yummier sounding than the aforementioned casu marzu.

There are quite a number of fish that I’d never heard of, including the large and omega-3 rich spotted sorubum from Brazil. It can grow over 5 feet long and weigh more than 176 pounds, so that would be quite the grilling festival!

Of course, they also cover fugu, the Japanese delicacy that, if not properly prepared, will kill you rather quickly and very unpleasantly. The authors report that “Many say, however, its taste is surpassed by the thrill of the experience of eating it.”

Personally, I’m not eating anything that has a chance of killing me if it isn’t the best thing I’ve ever tasted, so I believe I’ll pass.

There isn’t enough space here to cover more, but I’m sure any foodie would heartily enjoy reading this book, if not eating the dread casu marzu.

Bon appétit!

~Linda- Circulation Supervisor/Collection Development Librarian

Farewell Reception for Susan Wray

A farewell reception for Joplin Public Library director Susan Wray has been scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3.

Residents are invited to visit Wray in the large meeting room at the library anytime between noon and 3 p.m. that day.

Wray has resigned to return to her hometown of Kansas City. She will be manager of the Blue Springs north branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library.

She will leave the Joplin post on Sept. 9.

Graphic novel makes Macbeth easier to read

Macbeth: The Graphic Novel

By William Shakespeare

Illustrated by Jon Haward

You read the headline right, Shakespeare lovers (and haters). Macbeth is now a graphic novel! Not only is it a graphic novel, it is unabridged with original text.

Macbeth is set in Scotland in 1040 AD. King Duncan has been in charge for six years, but things are still tumultuous between the king and some tribes who do not want to be peacefully ruled as a single nation under a single king.

To help maintain order and offer Scotland a chance at peace, Duncan commands a large army led by trusted noblemen who have the experience and will to be successful in battle. Macbeth is not only Duncan’s cousin, he is the king’s most trusted and most powerful army leader.

As Macbeth and his friend Banquo return from a battle, they come upon three witches who tell Macbeth that he will become Thane of Cawdor and, more importantly, king of Scotland. When Macbeth finds out that the king is — as the witches said — making him Thane of Cawdor, he is overjoyed and wonders if the rest of the prophecy will come true.

He shares the news and the prophecy with his calculating, scheming, and not very nice wife Lady Macbeth. As luck would have it, King Duncan is going to stay with the Macbeths for a night and the two come up with a dreadful plan that will make sure the rest of the prophecy will come true. They kill King Duncan and frame his two sons, thus making Macbeth, a blood relative, king of Scotland.

Now that Macbeth is king, he must hold onto his power and in so doing, things begin to spin wildly out of control in very interesting and tragically Shakespearian ways.

Shakespeare, with the best of teachers and footnotes, is difficult to understand. The language takes getting used to and is, for some, enough to prevent them from attempting to even try to read his works.

Reading the graphic novel makes things a little easier — even for a librarian who loves Macbeth. Because Macbeth is a play, it is best understood with the scenes clearly illustrated for the reader and this graphic novel adaptation does exactly that.

The words are as Shakespeare wrote them (minus line breaks) and the illustrations are vivid and cast the perfect dark atmosphere over the book. With the cast of characters clearly drawn and labeled in the front of the book, all characters are easily identified.

In the back of the book, readers will find a brief biography of Shakespeare and of the real Macbeth, discussion of Shakespeare’s relevance today, and other information useful to understanding the play.

All-in-all, I’d say this graphic novel is a great resource for anyone interested in reading Macbeth and it is especially good for students struggling with the play in school.

~Cari- Teen Librarian

NEW LIBRARY HOURS

As of September 1, 2009 the Joplin Public Library will be open the following hours:

Monday - Thursday 9am to 8pm
Friday - Saturday 9am to 6pm
Sunday 1pm to 5pm

In 2006 Joplin residents approved a levy increase to allow the library to be open four evenings a week, increase programming and buy additional materials. The voter approved levy was received for one year. The following year the Library was subject to an involuntary rollback as per State statutes. As property values decline, revenue remains flat. Because of this the Library Board of Trustees has made the difficult decision to cut hours effective September 1.

The Library remains dedicated to being open four nights a week and will continue that by shaving one hour off each evening Monday – Thursday. Friday and Saturday hours remain unchanged. Sunday hours will return to 1-5 p.m., the same hours prior to the levy increase.

The new hours will not affect programming, which is very popular and heavily attended. The purchasing of new materials will also not be affected.

The Board of Trustees are committed to reinstating the lost hours if and when funding improves.

--Susan Wray, Library Director

“Nightwalkers”

By P. T. Deutermann

(compact disc audiobook)

“Nightwalkers” begins with a Civil War train robbery and massacre. That chapter segues into the present day with Cam Richter surveying Glory’s End, a sprawling, 700-acre ante-bellum mansion complete with secret tunnels and hidden rooms in the North Carolina countryside.

Cam wants to take a break from his thriving private-eye business, “Hide and Seek Investigations.” He purchases the estate even though he realizes that it could take years and thousands of dollars to restore the mansion to its former grandeur. He quickly discovers that his quirky neighbors, the Lees, still live as if in the Civil War era, complete with their long dresses and mannerisms. One of the Lee family members (everyone knows him as the “crazy” Major) is a Vietnam veteran who truly believes he is a Confederate major and patrols on a horse at night for Yankee spies.

Cam shortly recognizes that he has more serious problems than a mansion money pit and eccentric neighbors. Someone is trying to kill him and he is clueless as to who or why. He assumes it must be someone from his past because he hasn’t lived in the community long enough to have made enemies — or has he? Cam relies on his German Shepherd companions, Frick, Frack and Kitty, and the guys from “Hide and Seek Investigations” to help protect him as he tries to stay alive and find out who is trying to murder him.

This is an intriguing complex mystery with its eccentric characters and historic setting. The plot, filled with twists and turns, led to an unexpected and surprising conclusion. Dick Hill’s excellent narration adds to the suspense. I highly recommend “Nightwalkers” to anyone who enjoys mysteries with a little Civil War history and an “old South feel” setting.

“Below Zero”

By C. J. Box

(compact disc audiobook)

The ninth installment in the Joe Pickett series finds the game warden living and working in a remote area in Wyoming known as “The Place where Game Wardens are Sent to Die.”

The governor sent Joe there to keep him out the public eye after one of his cases went wrong. Joe hurries home when his wife calls to tell him that their oldest daughter, Sheridan, received a text message reading “tell Sherry April called.” April, their foster daughter, was killed in an explosion six years ago — or so everyone thought. The family is stunned when Sheridan receives more text messages from the person who says she is April. The person texting provides information that only April could know. Joe has his doubts about April still being alive, but what if by some means, she escaped that horrific episode years ago? Moreover, if it is April, where has she been and what has she been doing for six years?

Joe begins the hunt for the person sending the messages along with Sheridan, since she is the sender’s contact and Joe knows nothing about texting.

Joe calls on one of his friends in the FBI when the texter mentions in one of the messages a Chicago mobster called Stenko. In addition, the sender knows about apparently unrelated murders that have taken place at various locations in the West — and eventually the messages are traced to those areas. Joe calls upon Nate Romanowski, a character from a previous book, and along with Nate and Sheridan he embarks on a desperate search for a person who may or may not be April.

“Below Zero” is an excellent read with a fast-paced plot, interesting characters and wonderful descriptions of Wyoming. The bad guys are revealed early on but the ending definitely comes as a surprise. The author provides enough background information that you can read this as a stand-alone mystery, but I highly recommend reading the other books in the series. Joe is a heroic character with a deep sense of integrity and is a devoted family man. David Chandler narrates Box’s latest Joe Pickett mystery.

~Phyllis- Technical Services Librarian

Co-worker recommendations

I'm constantly searching on Amazon, the New York Times, blogs and other random websites to find a good book. After many months of being let down by best sellers and books that got great reviews, I finally did what I should have done in the first place: asked my co-workers for recommendations. The first book I read was The Help by Kathryn Stockett, recommended to me by Judy, a children's department staff member.


Set in Jackson, Mississippi during the civil rights movement, this novel follows the lives of the black women trusted to not only raise white children but also be the backbone of the entire white household. Not one person questions how these black maids are treated until Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, returns from college, degree in hand, and struggles to find a story that not only speaks to her, but also to potential readers. After viewing firsthand the injustices these black maids face, Eugenia begins to seek out the stories of these maids. Their stories are happy, depressing, touching and wonderful, allowing you into the little known lives of maids from the South.
This book leaves you thinking about how you would have acted, had you lived during the civil rights movement.Would you have been brave enough to speak out against the injustice, or would you have sat back while someone else raised your child, waiting for them to bring you more tea? Free of stereotypes and cliches, this is definitely a book to pick up.

Breana- Children's Assistant

Dog trainer offers up some ‘Lessons Learned’

‘Dog Talk: Lessons Learned from a Life with Dogs’

By Harrison Forbes

My kennel club friends often refer to the first dogs we trained as our “practice” dogs. Indeed, I learned a lot from raising my now aged rottweiler-German shepherd mix from puppyhood and training him in obedience and agility — sometimes it was a case of what not to do the next time around.

Harrison Forbes is no exception. In “Dog Talk: Lessons Learned from a Life with Dogs,” Forbes, the host of a radio talk show called “Pet Talk” and a longtime trainer of police dogs, takes a look back at the dogs he has known.

He does dispense some training tips along the way, but ultimately it all boils down to knowing your dog, not following one particular training regimen. “My training method is the anti-method,” he writes. “You need to be open to every method and throw your preconceived notions out the window. Understanding dogs and their behavior is a never-ending process.”

As someone who teaches beginning obedience and puppy classes, I found myself nodding in agreement.

So if you’re looking for a straight-up training book, “Dog Talk” probably isn’t for you. (There are, however, plenty of good ones in the Joplin Public Library collection by people such as Ian Dunbar, Sarah Hodgson and Tamar Gellar.) But if you want to spend a couple hundred pages with someone who has worked with and loved many dogs — some of them not so loveable — this book fits the bill.

The dogs that Forbes has owned made me look at mine and think, “Hey, you might have chewed through drywall once in a while, but at least you never did that.”

There was Lex, who badly mauled his K-9 handler’s wife when she foolishly leaned down to kiss him on the muzzle. And Ivan, who was so traumatized by a previous master that he would periodically withdraw into himself, whimpering and sucking on his rear leg like it was a pacifier. Bart had a disconcerting way of showing he disliked someone: “He would get right in front of them and shove his muzzle up between their legs and look right up at them with a look that said, ‘If I open my mouth, you’re castrated.’”

At the other end of the spectrum, there was the first dog he owned. He’d received permission from his mom and stepfather, who thought he’d pick out something small like a chihuahua. Imagine their surprise when the dog Forbes chose was a big, beautiful American Staffordshire terrier named Praise Jesus — PJ for short — by his evangelical Christian breeder. Forbes learned a lot from owning PJ, who was so good around children that he could take a Dorito to the eye without drama but protective enough that he body-slammed two German shepherds that went after Forbes’ mother.

Later in Forbes’ career, he acquired Akbar, a German shepherd who had suffered such horrific abuse early in life that he often reacted with fear-based aggression toward his K-9 handlers. Forbes literally saved the dog at the last minute, as he was about to be euthanized, and rehabilitated him, teaching him how to trust again. He later placed him with a bounty hunter who provided the constant companionship the dog needed, and Akbar lived out his days happily riding around in the front seat of a pickup truck.

“Dog Talk” isn’t just success stories, however. Forbes owns up to making some seriously boneheaded mistakes — purchasing a wolf when he was still in college, buying his daughter a poorly-bred shih tzu from a pet store, getting bitten more than once by his own dogs, and unintentionally setting off a dog fight because he wasn’t managing his dogs properly. But the guy has a lot of confidence in his abilities and his dogs, so he always shrugs it off and looks at such mistakes as lessons learned.

To Forbes, that’s what it’s all about, and I have to agree. Perhaps more important, beneath the authoritative trainer of tough animals is a man who deeply loves dogs. Of his relationship with his current pet, a marshmallow of a pit bull, he writes, “I forgot how much I love to have a big old huggie dog.”

So if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to commune with my own big old huggie dog.

~Lisa E. Brown- Administrative Assistant

‘Prayers for Sale’ features beautifully woven stories

‘Prayers for Sale’

By Sandra Dallas

Eighty-six year-old Hennie has been in Middle Swan, Colo., high in the mountains, for longer than just about anyone else in town. She came there about 70 years ago when an old school friend invited her to come out and meet a male friend. Hennie’s husband died in the Civil War and her young daughter had died in a tragic accident, so after some thought to her friend’s offer, Hennie moved.

Much to her delight, Jacob Comfort is just who she’s looking for and soon they marry. At 60, Jacob passes on, leaving Hennie a home and plenty to get her by for many years to come.

When Nit and Dick Spindle move to town, Hennie takes a shine to the 17-year old young bride and proceeds to introduce her to Middle Swan, the women in the quilting group and life in the mountains.

As author Sandra Dallas did in “The Persian Pickle Club,” stories are woven and sewn together as neatly and beautifully as the quilts Hennie makes. This is a well-written historical fiction novel that is perfect with a cup of tea (or coffee) and a good conversation with friends around a quilting frame or your kitchen table.

‘Killer Keepsakes’

By Jane K. Cleland

When one of Josie Prescott’s reliable and helpful employees fails to show up for work after vacation, Josie sets out to find out what has happened.

Gretchen has worked at Prescott’s Antiques and Appraisals for four years. Josie hired her more on gut instinct than traditional hiring practices. When Gretchen seemingly disappears on the day she was to return from her week-long vacation, Josie comes to realize how little she really does know about her employee and how little the rest of the staff knows about Gretchen’s life prior to coming to New Hampshire.

This is the fourth installment in the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series. Cleland weaves lots of information on antique appraisals in between the sleuthing and the twists and turns of the story. Because this series is still relatively new, the reader does not have to be familiar with Josie and the other characters to follow along.

This is a good page-turning cozy to settle back in a comfy chair and escape in for a few hours.

‘Wrongful Death’

By Robert Dugoni

Having won a dozen cases in California before his marriage and move to Seattle, David Sloan continues to build his reputation as one of the best wrongful-death attorneys in the country with his latest win.

He is ready for his much-anticipated vacation in Cabo San Lucas with his wife and stepson when he is stopped by Beverly Ford on his way out of the courthouse. Sloan has been recommended to her as the one person who can get the answers she is looking for in the death of her husband, who died while serving in Iraq.

He is fairly certain this case cannot be won. James Ford died while serving his country and therefore his family cannot sue the government. Sloan agrees to look at the file Beverly obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) before leaving on his trip. In looking through the witness statements, something is off.

First, if the claim has been denied, why send the family the paperwork now? Second, witness statements are considered classified even under the FOIA, so why did were they given to Beverly? Finally, all four witness statements read almost word for word and it is known that no two witnesses ever report the same thing, let alone four.

In taking on the case, Sloan opens a can of worms someone does not want opened. One by one, the other men involved in the incident that killed James Ford are dying, Sloan’s family is being threatened and someone is out to kill him.

This is a fast-paced thriller that keeps the reader turning the pages wondering if James really died “incident to service” or not. Dugoni has done his research (as stated in the acknowledgments), creating a very believable story about the Iraq war, its affect on families and the government’s involvement.

Susan Wray- Library Director

‘The Graveyard Book’

By Neil Gaiman

(For grades 4-8)

Neil Gaiman’s latest addition to children’s literature is the story of a boy whose family is stabbed to death in the opening scene by a “man named Jack.”

During the attack, the 18-month-old baby makes his way up the street to a graveyard where the ghosts adopt him and bestow upon him the name of Nobody (“Bod”) Owens. In addition to his new parents, Silas, a member of the Honour Guard, agrees to be his guardian until Bod is grown. As such, he supplies Bod with food and makes sure that Bod is schooled in the ways of the dead and the living.

It is these life lessons that Gaiman spotlights as he narrates Bod’s growth from a baby to a teenager. And while Bod’s freedom of the graveyard allows him to navigate the dangers within, he knows that the dangerous “man named Jack” is still looking to finish the job he started when Bod was a baby.

Gaiman’s fantastical tale, which is modeled after Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” and won this year’s prestigious Newbery Medal, is sure to be enjoyed by children, teens and adults.

‘Waiting for Normal’

By Leslie Connor

(For grades 4-8)

Twelve-year-old Addie has been “waiting for normal” her entire life. Her Mommers’ “all-or-nothing” approach to life makes having a normal life difficult, but Addie’s optimistic attitude never waivers.

Even after her ex-stepfather, Dwight, takes custody of her two half sisters, because of Mommers’ neglect, and she and Mommers have to move into a funny looking trailer on a busy street corner in Schenectady, New York. Addie finds ways to make the best of a bad situation. It is with the support of Dwight, her grandfather, Jack, her new neighbors Soula, Elliot, and Rick, and her new school friends that Addie is able to survive being practically abandoned after Mommers’ meets Pete and only sporadically comes home.

The characters in Connor’s novel will tug at readers’ hearts. While the story is a dead-on portrayal of parental neglect, it is also a heartwarming look at a positive father/daughter relationship. While Addie’s family may have their quirks, her relationship with Dwight is believable, honest and one that every child should be so lucky to enjoy. This is a must read.

~Jeana- Children's Librarian

Food of a Younger Land

“The Food of a Younger Land.”

By Mark Kurlansky

During the Great Depression, Franklin Roosevelt’s WPA (Works Progress Administration) employed millions of people who were otherwise hard pressed to find jobs.

Many people are familiar with the building projects, ranging from bridges and roads and dams and recreation areas (including the Lake of the Ozarks) to theaters and hospitals, but mostly forgotten are the arts programs including art and theater projects and (we arrive at our destination) the work of the Federal Writers’ Project.

In addition to the completed guides to the states and other geographic regions and works of general historic interest (the Joplin Public Library owns the Missouri guide book written at that time as well as a couple of other FWP books), work was done on a project about the regional foodways of the United States to be called “America Eats.” Sadly, the project was abandoned shortly after our entrance into World War II when the WPA began to shut down as the war reinvigorated the economy and ended the need for the subsidized employment the WPA was created to provide. Even during its lifetime, it was not the best organized project ever undertaken, and some groups never submitted any reports, Missouri among them.

Mark Kurlansky has now selected some of the more interesting submissions and compiled them into “The Food of a Younger Land.” The book is divided into sections, according to the geographic divisions the Writers’ Project imposed, so we have the Northeast, the South, the Middle West, the Far West and the Southwest.

In the Northeast, there’s a lovely piece on the Automat (and what I wouldn’t give to have been able to eat at one at least once in my life) where you inserted coins and a little door (one among hundreds, if not thousands) opened so that you could retrieve your tasty prize. There’s also a piece on lunch-counter slang (like “axle grease” for butter or “burn one” for an order of toast). I suppose one can still get oyster stew supreme at the Oyster Bar at the Grand Central Terminal in New York City, but many of the foods and folkways have waned or vanished entirely. Of course, in the case of squirrel mulligan, that may not be an altogether bad thing.

I don’t know if they still have booya cookouts in Minnesota (I’m familiar with — but have never eaten — the regional specialty of lutefisk), but there’s a recipe for booya if you can lay your hands on 30 pounds of oxtails and a peck each of kohlrabi and rutabagas, as well as some other things). I suspect that Washington state smelt fries are pretty much a thing of the past, along with Rhode Island May breakfasts. Pity. Some of these events sound like a lot of fun, not to mention some of the food sounds tasty.

There are recipes of all sorts in the book, many of which are impossible to follow for a modern cook, since most of us are used to very detailed recipes. These are mostly of the “goodly bit of this, chunk of that, enough of whatever” variety of recipe. One that gives lots of detail (aside from the booya above) is for Kow Kanyon potatoes, which sounds good, but starts with 25 pounds of potatoes. I don’t have that many people to cook for! If you do, you might like to try it.

Speaking of potatoes, there is a good bit of material about Oklahoma here, including the fact that the Suzi-Q potato was created in Oklahoma City in 1938. My favorite piece in the book has to be the bit about mashed potatoes (spuds again) titled “An Oregon Protest against Mashed Potatoes” by Claire Warner Churchill. She wasn’t actually opposed to mashed potatoes, just what some people (mostly restaurant cooks) did to them. You might think it would be hard to get four typeset pages out of a rant about mashed potatoes, but dear Claire got four beautiful pages out of it.

It’s sad to think about the books that might have come out of this abandoned project but didn’t, but I’m glad that Kurlansky rescued the bits he did. An interesting and informative read.

~ Linda- circulation supervisor/collection development librarian.

Zombies add new twist to old problem

‘Generation Dead’

By Daniel Waters

“Zombie” is not a polite term to use when referring to the Differently Biotic (DB) teens who inexplicably come back from death. Even more inexplicable is that this only happens to teenagers living in America. Could it be from all the preservatives in fast food? Too many video games? Aliens? No one knows.

Most of the alive, or Traditionally Biotic (TB), teens at Oakvale High are pretty freaked out by the DB kids in their classes and the new “DB Friendly” label that Oakvale just received. More than freaked out, Phoebe is curious. Specifically, she’s curious about Tommy Williams, a rather handsome DB guy in her class who seems to be able to function better than most of his DB counterparts. He even goes out for the football team and holds his own against giants like Phoebe’s best friend and neighbor, Adam.

Cue Teen Book Love Triangle. Phoebe is developing a crush on Tommy while Adam is discovering his undying love for Phoebe. At the same time, Pete, one of Adam’s teammates and the definite “bad guy” in the book, is determined to rid Oakvale of all zombies and isn’t afraid to hurt anyone, alive or not, who gets in his way.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but after reading the first chapter, it was hard to tear myself away. The action is nicely paced and the characters are quirky and well developed, which was a surprise to me. I’m not sure how you make zombies sympathetic, but Waters did it. He also developed the villainous Pete well. Even though Pete’s actions and intentions are based on ignorance and fear, he is believable and even a little understandable.

Waters is a talented world-builder and reveals just enough of the answers to the burning questions in the novel to keep pages turning. I had a couple of problems with this book, however. The novel itself had some grammatical errors that could have easily been fixed before publication, and a stronger editor would have realized that referring to characters by both their first and their last names, but not together, is confusing.

My main issue with “Generation Dead,” however, is one of focus. Waters builds the conflict of prejudice and acceptance using the relationship between Phoebe and Tommy as a way to set up the most extreme reactions … at least, that’s how I interpreted the Teen Book Love Triangle aspect of the plot. I was pretty excited that Waters wasn’t relying on the prolific formula: Supernatural Being and Human Romance + Action and Near Death Experiences = No. 1 Bestseller. Instead, he seemed to be focusing on good vs. evil and the very “teen” issue of finding acceptance within yourself and in your high school. I was giddy with excitement at the new twist to this age-old problem. Therefore, I was willing to overlook some of the weaknesses of the writing and grammar.

Then the book ended. It ended with quite a cliffhanger, in fact. But instead of ending with the epic battle of good (Phoebe, Tommy and Adam) vs. evil (Pete), it ended with the epic drama of Teen Book Love Triangle. I’ve read that story before and while zombies are new on the scene, the love triangle between a supernatural being and a human is certainly not.

Despite the ending, “Generation Dead” is worth the read. For those who love the Teen Book Love Triangle storylines, especially ones with supernatural characters, this book is well worth the read. I, apparently, wasn’t in the mood.

“Generation Dead” is appropriate for teens and adults.

~Cari - Teen Librarian

Surprise ending caps fast-paced ‘Blue Zone’

‘The Blue Zone’

By Andrew Gross

(compact disc audiobook)

Kate Raab leads a perfect life. She is smart and beautiful, has a boyfriend named Greg, a close-knit family and she enjoys her job as a medical researcher at a New York lab. Her father, Benjamin Raab, runs a very successful diamond and gold business in New York; the family — Raab’s wife, Sharon, and Kate and her younger brother and sister — has always led an extremely comfortable existence. However, everything changes when the FBI arrests Raab for conspiracy and money laundering for a Colombian drug cartel.

The sound of gunshots peppering their house startles the family on the evening that Benjamin Raab is released from jail. Raab decides to place himself and his family in the Witness Protection Program (WITSEC). The family members receive new identities and are relocated to the West Coast — with the exception of Kate. Kate and Greg are about to marry; consequently Kate insists on continuing with her life in New York.

Kate does not believe the charges leveled against her father and vows to clear his name and get to the truth. She becomes increasingly distrustful of the protection provided to her family and she begins to wonder if she can trust anyone, even Greg. When a co-worker gets shot, Kate is sure the bullet was intended for her. Kate is panic-stricken when her father disappears from WITSEC and his case agent is murdered. He is in the “blue zone,” the FBI’s name for the point where he no longer has contact with the program. His identity may have been exposed and he could even be dead. In her pursuit of the truth, Kate uncovers disturbing secrets that connect her family to the Mercado drug cartel in Colombia.

This fast-paced, intense thriller contains twists and turns that keep you guessing to the surprise ending. Ilyana Kadushin provides a fine narration of the audiobook. The author, Andrew Gross, has co-authored novels with James Patterson but this was his solo debut, which was published in 2007. I cannot compare their writing styles having never read any of Patterson’s novels. However, I am eager to read “The Dark Tide” and, “Don’t Look Twice,” novels Gross has written since the publication of “The Blue Zone.”

‘Gold of Kings’

By T. Davis Bunn

(compact disc audiobook)

Sean Syrrell, a dealer in rare antiquities, dies from an apparent heart attack soon after firing his granddaughter, Storm, from his business. Storm almost immediately learns that her grandfather left the business in grim financial straits. She is also surprised and saddened to learn that her grandfather did not mention her in his will.

Harry Bennett, a treasure hunter, was in a Barbados prison for illegal treasure hunting when he was suddenly released. Before his death, Sean had arranged for Harry’s release from prison with the instructions that Harry is to protect Storm from danger. Harry and Storm conclude that her grandfather was likely murdered, but fortunately, not all of his secrets follow him to the grave. Storm discovers some interesting items in Sean’s safe including a frayed leather journal.

Following clues from the journal, Storm and Harry embark on a treasure hunt, and federal agent Emma Webb soon joins them. Emma has been working on uncovering secrets between the world of treasure hunting and the antiquities and art houses. The quest for ancient treasure from Herod the Great’s Second Temple in Jerusalem sends the trio to London, France, Istanbul and Cyprus while thwarting several attempts on their lives.

Bunn’s thriller has it all — believable characters, numerous adventures, historical archaeology and mysterious murders — with a little romance tossed in the mix. The descriptive historical background about the places they traveled and the treasure they hunted added to the action-packed plot. Phil Gigante provides excellent narration for “Gold of Kings.”

Phyllis- Technical Services Librarian

'Last Lecture' should have been read sooner

“The Last Lecture”
By Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow

I am generally not someone who gushes over books, particularly non-fiction titles, but “The Last Lecture” inspired and impressed me so much, I can not say enough about it. I will admit that I bought this book not long after it was published and it sat on my nightstand for quite awhile. I buy few non-fiction books in the first place (no need since the library is very handy!) so for me to buy it and have it sit, is unusual. I should have read it immediately. It will be one I reread and reread.

The “Last Lecture” series at Carnegie Mellon University is a series of lectures given by people, often university professors, who are to talk about “their personal and professional journeys.” When Randy Pausch was asked to give his “last lecture,” he knew it would truly be his last lecture.

Pausch had recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly forms of cancer, with a life expectancy of three to six months. He wanted this lecture to be his legacy to his family and his way of communicating all the life lessons he would not be able to teach his young children himself. The lecture was to be videotaped for his family so his children could view it later in life. (The lecture may be watched in its entirety on YouTube, where it has been viewed over 8 million times.)

The book expands on his talk through a number of short chapters divided into sections. Pausch talks about the lecture, growing up, his dreams, his career, Jai, his wife, and their three children in these five sections. He takes the reader through his life starting with the last lecture before going back to his childhood years and moving forward through his life.

All of the sections reflect how he lived his life before and after his diagnosis but it is Section V that talks about how people should live their lives. In fairness to the reader he qualifies the section by saying “This section may be called ‘It’s About How to Live Your Life,’ but it’s really about how I’ve tried to live mine. I guess it’s my way of saying: Here’s what worked for me.”

Most of what he talks about should not be new to readers as the lessons should be things we learned growing up. The short chapters talk about what he truly believes: “Dream Big” (how he missed seeing Neil Armstrong walk on the moon and the lesson learned by missing it), “Don’t Complain, Just Work Harder” (complaining takes up too much energy), “Don’t Obsess Over What People Think” (your wasting your time), “No Job is Beneath You” (the perceived entitlement among younger people today), “Show Gratitude” and two of my favorites, “Get in Touch with Your Crayon Box,” where Pausch talks about carrying around a crayon (usually black or white) to be reminded of your child and how things are not always right or wrong; and “Watch What They Do, Not What They Say,” his dating advice for his 18-month old daughter and his two sons.

Randy Pausch was not perfect and he did not get a miracle cure — he passed away on July 25, 2008. He did try to live his life simply, with joy, happiness, love, respect and no regrets. He tried to be Tigger, not Eeyore in this not-so-perfect world in which we all live.

This is a relatively short book that is very easy to read. And while the lecture was taped as a means of communicating his life and beliefs to his children, the book gives even more. This is one of the best, most honest and inspiring books I have read in a long time. A must read for everyone.

~Susan Wray- Library Director

Wonders of Wildlife

The Children's Summer Reading Club is well underway. It's hard to believe, but we've almost finished our fourth week, and have a mere five to go!

Today Misty Mitchell and some teen volunteers from Springfield's Wonders of Wildlife visited and presented two back-to-back shows about Missouri Animals. The children that attended were lucky enough to meet a red-eared slider turtle, a flying squirrel, a barn owl and a great-plains rat snake. The children who attended also had the unique opportunity to touch several of the animals.

If you missed Wonders of Wildlife do not despair. They will be returning on September 17th at 6:00 p.m. to present a Discover Downtown "Wild Nights" show on the front lawn. Also the Library has numerous other programs during the next five weeks of Summer Reading. Check out the Library Calendar for a complete listing, drop by the Children's Desk and pick up a program guide, or call 417-623-2184.

More Adult Summer Reading Reviews!

A lot of adults have turned in booklogs this summer, entering them for a chance to win a Booklover's Bag full of prizes from local businesses. If you've missed out, there's still time. Come by the library and ask about the Adult Summer Reading Program at any public desk.

Here are some more favorites from our Adult Summer Reading participants:

Homebirth in the Hospital: Integrating Natural Childbirth with Modern Medicine
by Stacey Marie Kerr, M.D.

It was mainly birth stories of women who made decisions regarding their birth. It wasn't a guide as to how to integrate as the title suggested. Good for birth stories, not in how to navigate the over-medicalized model of childbirth so prevalent (and mandated) in our society.
~Crystal

The Lazarus Trap
by T. David Bunn

An impressive business espionage book. A man wakes up with amnesia, later finds out he is supposed to be dead and is being framed for over 400 million worth of embezzlement from the company he worked for. Very clean, no curse words.
~Peter

The Secret
by Beverly Lewis

Story of a daughter's struggle to understand her mother and her own life. At the same time, all she knew of her past is not necessarily the truth. She uncovers more and more with each chapter. Can't wait for the sequel!
~Brenda

Dave Berry's Book of Bad Songs
by Dave Berry

The Author took a survey of bad songs and was flooded with responses. This book covers the best of the in a very funny way.
~Lynn

No ‘Lion’: Updated book is heartwarming tale

“A Lion Called Christian”

By Anthony Bourke and John Rendall

Last summer, a heart-tugging YouTube clip went viral, forwarded to person after person around the globe until it made headlines. You might have seen it: It featured a reunion between two young men and an adult lion, with Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” as the soundtrack. Definitely a Kleenex moment. Even now, thinking about it, I get a little misty-eyed.

The story behind that clip is told in “A Lion Called Christian,” originally published in 1971 but recently updated and re-released. The book is a fast read and, while not as sentimental as the YouTube clip, is heart-warming and fascinating.

In 1969, friends Anthony Bourke and John Rendall, newly arrived from Australia, were sightseeing in London’s famous Harrod’s when they came upon two lion cubs for sale. They immediately felt a connection with the male cub, whom they dubbed Christian. After some discussion, they purchased him for the modern equivalent of $3,500 dollars, intent on saving him from the gawking shoppers and life in a cage.

If you can get past the ethical concerns about trafficking in exotic animals (remember, this was 40 years ago), their early days with Christian are rather amusing. Home was an apartment above the furniture store where they worked, appropriately named Sophistocat. At night, Christian slept in the heated basement on a pile of blankets and used a lion-sized litterbox. During the day, he was free to roam around the store, where his presence attracted the attention of customers, who were asked, “Do you have any objection to lions?” His daily exercise consisted of playing in a cemetery surrounded by a tall brick wall.

The laid-back lion cub enjoyed being carried and cuddled but was not encouraged to use his superior strength. “We had not told Christian that he was a lion,” the authors cheekily write. “We thought this knowledge would only lead to regrettable lionlike behavior.” But by the time he was 8 months old and 130 pounds, Christian was growing too bored and too big for life in London.

A fortuitous meeting with the stars and director of the hit film “Born Free” provided a welcome opportunity. They proposed sending Christian to Kenya. There he would be put into the care of George Adamson, whose work with lions had inspired “Born Free,” and rehabilitated before his release into the wild. “It was as if a prison sentence had suddenly, simply, been lifted. Of all the lions ever born in Europe, Christian had been offered an unprecedented reprieve. He was to go back where he belonged.”

In 1970, Bourke and Rendall traveled to Kenya with Christian and stayed during the early days of his rehabilitation. As time passed, Christian became comfortable with his surroundings. He learned to hunt and take care of himself, and even joined a pride. Confident in their lion’s progress, Bourke and Rendall returned to London but continued to stay in touch with Adamson. In 1971, they returned to Kenya, as a film crew wanted to shoot their reunion with Christian.

In describing that event, the authors excerpt a letter Bourke wrote to his parents: “He stared hard at us for a few seconds, and then slowly moved closer for a good look. He stared intently. … We couldn’t wait any longer and called him. He immediately started to run down towards us. Grunting with excitement, this ENORMOUS lion jumped all over us, but he was very gentle.”

The friends saw Christian one more time, during a visit in 1972, and they again received a warm response, again recounted in Bourke’s letter home: “(He) jumped up on me only once as before on his hind legs and he did it extremely gently. He licked my face as he towered over me. He nearly crushed John by trying to sit on his lap!”

Early in 1973, Christian crossed a river and headed toward a national park, never to be seen again. Regretting nothing, Bourke and Rendall write that they hope he lived another 10 years and established a pride of his own so that his descendants live on in Kenya.

They seem genuinely stunned and touched by the explosion of interest in their story since the YouTube clip went viral. They’ve used this renewed attention to appear on television and accept speaking engagements, where they tell Christian’s story, talk about wildlife conservation and champion the work of George Adamson.

Reading “A Lion Called Christian” definitely made me want to surf over to YouTube and watch that clip again. Pass the Kleenex, please.

~Lisa E. Brown - Administrative Assistant

Sci-fi titles highlight young-adult offerings

Unwind

By Neal Shusterman

(Young adult)

In a futuristic society, The Heartland War has devastated the United States of America and the peace settlement negotiated between the two sides is known as The Bill of Life. This bill ends abortion, but allows parents the option to have their children between the ages of 13 and 18 “unwound.”

A teen that has been unwound means that every part of the teen is harvested and their body parts are given as transplants to the sick or injured. According to the law, they are not being killed since, technically, every piece of them is still alive, just “in a divided state.”

When sixteen-year-old Connor finds out his parents are having him unwound, he runs away and in the process meets up with Risa and Lev.

Risa is an orphan who is being unwound because she is not a gifted enough pianist. Lev is the tenth child of a wealthy, religious family who is voluntarily having him unwound as a “tithe” to God.

Connor’s plan is to keep them all alive until they turn 18 and can no longer be unwound. However, Lev is morally conflicted because of his religious beliefs and he makes Connor’s and Risa’s journey especially difficult.

Author Neal Shusterman skillfully manages to explore both sides of every issue, using a matter-of-fact approach to broach sensitive subjects. While the idea of being unwound is deeply terrifying, when Shusterman details the process it is with a methodical approach, lacking blood or gore.

Despite the straightforward descriptions, this is definitely a teen and adult title because of the complex subject matter. Shusterman has written a gripping piece of literature that will have readers questioning whether this futuristic society could one day become reality, and if so, what would they do to survive.

Wake

By Lisa McMann

(Young adult)

Seventeen-year-old Janie Hannagan has more than her fair share of problems.

Her mother is an alcoholic. She must work full-time at a nursing home to support herself. She lives on the wrong side of town. She longs to attend college, but hold little hope, despite how hard she works.

And her major problem is dreams. Not her dreams, but those of anyone who falls asleep in her presence. Janie has a supernatural gift that causes her to be sucked into dreams and she cannot pull herself out until the dream ends.

This bothersome gift announced itself to Janie at age eight, but as she gets older it is becoming increasingly harder to hide the seizure-like state she goes into while other people dream.

Janie is fed up with not being able to control herself and people are starting to become suspicious. And things get even more weird after she falls into a particularly gruesome nightmare where someone is dreaming about her.

Lisa McMann has written an intriguing and suspenseful read. Janie is a likable character and readers are sure to quickly devour this title and search out Fade, the second book in the series.

~Jeana- Children's Librarian

Summer Reading has begun!

We're almost one week into our Summer Reading Programs and we're off to a great start! My favorite part of the Adult Summer Reading program is looking at all of the great books that people are reading. Here are some of the books people have reviewed thus far:


Haunted Missouri by Jason Offutt
A look at some of Missouri's haunted places. The author chose places that are open to the public so others can go ghost-hunt. Peace Cemetary in Joplin and the Spook Light are featured. Don't read in the dark of night!
~Danya

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zebin
This teen book deals with the tough subject of death. When Liz gets hit by a car, she wakes up and finds herself on a boat in white pajamas. She quickly learns that her boat is headed to "Elsewhere", a place not like heaven or hell, but somewhere in between. In Elsewhere, as years pass you grow younger. Will Liz be able to acclimate to her new "life" or will she constantly be wishing for what was lost in the car accident? Definitely a great read with a compelling plot.
~Breana


Me of Little Faith by Lewis Black
Comedian Lewis Black dissects the topic of religion in this sorta-funny but not-funny-enough-to-make-it-be-worth-reading memoir. From his native Jewish faith to Mormons to Muslims and every faith in between, nobody is spared in the barbed lambasts of Black's bitter world view.
~Mark


Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts
When Nell arrives on Three Sisters Island she feels like she is home at last. She falls in love but fear of the past continues to intrude. Does she have the power to triumph?
~Irell

Check back for more reviews from Adult Summer Reading participants!

Childbirth isn't what it used to be...

A few months ago, I checked out The Business of Being Born, a documentary produced by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein that provides mothers-to-be with insight about the birth process and advocates giving the choices back to the mother instead of the doctors. Being a pregnant woman, I was extremely moved by this documentary and the idea that homebirth is a viable option for many women. Homebirths have dropped in popularity as elective c-sections and inductions have risen, and this film provides you with the knowledge you need to make an educated choice about what you want from the birth process.

Because I loved the movie so much, I jumped at the chance to read Lake and Epstein's new book, Your Best Birth. Many people accused The Business of Being Born of being completely one sided and making women feel like the only choice was the natural choice. I believe that anyone who reads Your Best Birth will feel like Lake and Epstein are encouraging women to take the reigns during childbirth, whether it be in your home, in a hospital or in a birthing center. This book has wonderful birth stories and compelling facts that will empower women to become more educated about their bodies and their lives. Definitely a great read for anyone getting ready to embark on the pregnancy journey.

~Breana- Children's Assistant