Springfield Library Corner
June 5, 2003

ELEANOR'S BEST WEBSITES

Cleopatra: A Multimedia Guide to The Ancient World at http://www.artic.edu/cleo/

Crochet, Knit and More at http://craftyarncouncil.com/

Home and Garden Television – Building and Repairing at http://www.hgtv.com

Natural Learning: Fingerplays at http://www.naturallearning.com/fingerplays.html

Normandy – (World War II) at http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/brochures/normandy/nor-pam.htm

Your Surgery.Com at http://www.yoursurgery.com/

JOY'S PICKS

If you’re looking for a way to make your garden more interesting this summer, check out “Succulents for the Contemporary Garden” by Yvonne Cave. Many of these plants offerunusual forms, textures and colors. Your neighbors will admire your creativity and you’ll add to the curb appeal of your home.

Can a forty-something mother and wife with a promisingcareer survive when her entire world collapses? Elizabeth Buchan’s “Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman” is the story of loss and rebirth, despair and recovery. Heroine Rose Lloyd’s inner strength and confidence make her a role model for females everywhere.

“Don’t Grown-Ups Ever Have Fun?” is author Jamie Harper’s hilarious child’s eye view of the adult world. Enjoy this with your youngster and you’re sure to share a giggle or two. The illustrations are priceless!

“Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons” is a tribute to sisterhood, emotional support, and friendship. Lorna Landvik follows the lives of five very different women, members of a book club, through four decades. This is an emotional roller coaster that will make you appreciate your girlfriends more than ever.

Soup is comforting in all seasons of the year. “365 Vegetarian Soups”by Gregg R. Gillespie is a deliciously satisfying assortment of recipes that will simplify yourmeal planning. Check it out and you’re sure to find something for even the fussiest eater in your family. The directions are easy to follow and you probably have most of the ingredients right inyour refrigerator.

LIBRARIAN'S PICK OF THE WEEK

“Naked Prey” by John Sandford. Sandford is one of my favorite writers, and Lucas Davenport, strange but brilliant as a detective, is one of my favorite characters. I

n this new book, an inexplicably brutal killing in the woods of northern Minnesota sends Davenport, who has moved up to the state level with his boss, Rose Marie Roux, into the wintry wilds of a small town, whose seeming innocence hides a huge secret. Two people, one black, one white, have been hanged in the woods, off the beaten track, and the only witness is a very savvy eleven-year-old girl. The governor is concerned that the killings might be racially motivated, and Davenport ends up in a race to find our the truth before all heck breaks loose. Once you start reading, you can’t stop!

Also new and recommended: “Maggie’s Mistake’ by Carolyn Brown; “Testament” by Nino Ricci; “Ecstasy” by Beth Saulnier; “Crossed Bones” by Carolyn Haines; “Sweetwater” by Roxana Robinson; “Claire and Present Danger” (set in Philadelphia) by Gillian Roberts; “Fatal Flaw” by William Lashner; “Say When” by Elizabeth Berg; “Slightly Abridged” by Ellen Pall; “Heart of the Night” by Barbara Delinsky; “The Wreck of the River of Stars” by Michael Flynn; and “Lucky Stars” by Jane Heller.

For young adults: “Organizing from the Inside Out for Teens” by Julie Morgenstern; “Dead Girls Don’t Write Letters” by Gail Giles; “Getting the Girl” by Markus Zusak; “The True Meaning of Cleavage” by Mariah Fredericks; “Mixed-Up Doubles” by Elena Yulo; “Alchemy” by Margaret Mahy; and “The Cheat” by Amy Koss.

For kids: “Wizard at Work” by Vivian Vande Velde; “The Case of Fidgety Fix” by Cynthia Rylant; “A Mango-Shaped Space” by Wendy Mass; “Elvis the Rooster Almost Goes to Heaven” by Denys Cazet; “Don’t Grown-Ups Ever Have Any Fun?” by Jamie Harper; “Racer Dogs” by Bob Kolar; and “Look at the Baby” by Kelly Johnson.

Springfield Library Corner
May 29, 2003

ELEANOR'S BEST WEB SITES

Booklist Center at http://home.attbi.com/~dwtaylor1/

Butterfly Garden at http://www.snacc.mb.ca/projects/butterfly_garden/

Historic Naval Ships Visitors’ Guide at http://www.maritime.org/hnsa-guide.htm

Kaleidoscope Art – Drawtoy vs. Byokal at http://www.zefrank.com/dtoy_vs_byokal/

Rip-Off Report at http://www.ripoffreport.com

Wild About Mushrooms – Cookbook at http://www.mssf.org/cookbook/

JOY'S PICKS

Where oh where is “The Best Place to Read?” Authors Debbie Bertram and Susan Bloom take a young boy on a heartwarming journey through his house as he searches for a comfortable and cozy spot. His final choice will make everyone smile.

Can a middle aged business owner and single parent find happiness with a younger man? Novelist Jacquelyn Mitchard’s “Twelve Times Blessed” follows heroine True Dickinson through a year of challenges and transformations. Hollywood should snatch up the movie rights for this story. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions.

If you’re thinking about sprucing up your home this spring, Tricia Guild’s “Think Color” will show you how to modernize your personal space and create a mood for every room. Color can make your environment intense or calm while adding the dimension of warmth.This is interesting stuff for anyone thinking about redecorating.

It’s your friends who help get you through the tough times and make the good times better. In “The Twelve Teas of Friendship” author Emilie Barnes presents a seasonal look at various ways to entertain with afternoon tea parties. So get your girlfriends together and try out some of her imaginative ideas.

Fabulous original artwork by Susan Rios adds to this book’s charm. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Kevin Jackson’s “Building the Great Pyramid” explores the construction and mythology of this magnificent structure. The statistics alone will amaze you!

LIBRARIAN'S PICK OF THE WEEK

“The Laws of Money, The Lessons of Life: Keep What You Have and Create What You Deserve” by Suze Orman. There’s no doubt that Suze Orman provides an invaluable service to those who feel that money is a mysterious thing, and that there are those who have it and those who never will. But Orman is here to let everyone know that money can be had by everyone if they work at doing the right thing with it.

Most of the time, people are just afraid of what to do with their investments, and hesitate to approach the right people to advise them. Or maybe they just don’t know who the right advisers are. But the biggest problem is that people drag their feet about working with their money even when they see it going right down the stock market drain. Orman writes with a clarity of purpose and can make these problems seem solvable for the average person who wants to invest or retire.

Also new and recommended: “The Thai Amulet” by Lyn Hamilton; “The Dogs of Riga” by Henning Mankell; “The Owls of Gloucester” by Edward Marster; “Clutching at Straws” by J.L. Abramo; “Typhoon” by Robin White; “Cold Springs” by Rick Riordan; “The Long Fall” by Lynn Kostoff; “City of Strangers” by John Shannon; “Bannerman’s Ghosts” by John Maxim; “Daylight” by Elizabeth Knox; “Prairie Gothic” by J.M. Hayes; “Lucky Stars” by Jane Heller; “The Mistress of Alderley” by Robert Bernard; The Devil Wears Prada” by Laurem Weisberger; and “An Intriguing Murder by Rodric Jeffries.

New in the nonfiction section: “Facing Ali” by Stephen Brunt; “Falling Leaves” by Adeline Yen Mah; “Gulf Coast Kitchens” by Constance Snow; “Pete Dunne on Bird Watching” by Pete Dunne; “Mom, I Hate You!” by Don Fleming; “Anime Mania” by Christopher Hart; “Butterflies of North America” by Jim Brick; “Don’t Know Much About History” by Kenneth Davis; and “Diets Designed for Athletes” by Maryann Karinch.

Also, check the Large Print section for brand-new copies of current titles. A while ago, the Oreland Lions’ Club gave the Library a gift to purchase some new titles, and we’ve gone even further by using our donations from Springfield businesses and residents and the gift from the Citizens Partnership of Springfield Township to beef up the collection.