April 5, 2004


Library Corner…
Are you a CSI fan? If you’re into forensic anthropology you’ll love reading “Hidden Evidence” by David Owen and “Silent Witness” by Roxana Ferlini. In both of these books the authors examine real crimes and their investigations. Couch potato sleuths can hone their skills and become experts at finding the bad guys. Homemade baby food seems like a lot of work. Joachim Splichal’s “Feeding Baby” is filled with easy, nutritious recipes that can be enjoyed by your entire family. Personal anecdotes make this book a delight for parents of all ages. If you’re an animal lover don’t miss Bob Tarte’s hilarious “Enslaved by Ducks.” His unusual menagerie of exotic pets and his relationship with them makes for a charming saga of domesticity at its craziest. And pet owners will agree that it’s always a toss-up as whether the animals or the
humans are in control of the household. Trees provide us with years of beauty and shade. They improve the environment by reducing air pollution and they create windbreaks for farmers. They provide a home for birds, and attract wildlife. Daniel and Erin Prendergast’s “The Tree Doctor” answers all your questions about buying, planting, and maintaining these valuable natural resources. More than 120 diagrams and photographs make this book essential reading for all gardeners. The April 15 tax deadline is quickly approaching. Don’t forget that the library has quite a few books that just may help you with your filing. “Tax Guide 2004” by Susan M. Jacksack, “New Tax Law Simplified 2004” and “1001 Deductions & Tax Breaks” (both by J.K. Lasser) will ease you through this traumatic time.


From Leslie in the Children’s Department:
From the series Dear America, “Sofia’s Immigrant Diary: Book 1” by Kathryn Lasky. This is the story of Sofia’s journey in 1903 from the small town of Cento in Italy to the large city of New York in America. It is really the story of the boat journey and the stay on Ellis Island. There is lots of love in her family however strange the journey and the new rules, and the series does its usual good job of describing conditions.As this is book one, readers will be able to follow Sofia into her new life in America. Series: My Grandmother’s Stories by Adele Geras. This is sort of a modern version of “In My Father’s Court” with the grandmother telling the stories to the granddaughter. It is the voice of the grown granddaughter that narrates the times she spent with her grandmother. The grandmother lives in a city in America and her stories are all from the old country. “Everything has a story” is her motto, so whether dealing with tangled wool or opening a door, there is always a story. The author skillfully weaves the telling of these tales within the account of the of the narrator’s childhood. Series: The Wright Sister by Richard Maurer. The story of Katharine Wright, sister of the famous Orville and Wilber Wright, told me more about her brother’s lives and more about the era and entertained me more than any other Wright Brothers book I have encountered. I suppose that is because the reader gets to see the everyday life from the point of view of the one creating it. Katharine did it all; she became the woman of the house at 14, she was the only member of her family to graduate from college, she nursed both her brothers through major illnesses and she arranged their social schedules when they were regularly meeting with royalty. The author uses her facts and photos to make a book so interesting that I was amazed that I never heard of Katharine before. I can only compare it to how I would have felt if I had run across a stray book called, say, ‘Eleanor, the Other Roosevelt’, and I had never heard of her before. There is everything for the feminist reader here, too, women’s issues, great female friendships, romance, courage, prejudice in the work place, rejection from her family for following her heart, and above all an intelligent and lively heroine.


Librarian's Pick of the Week:
"Playing with Fire" by Peter Robinson. Who would want to kill a mediocre artist, a young drug addict and divorced loner living in a camper in a field? And why use fire to kill? Robinson's detective, Inspector Alan Banks, has three murder cases on his hands, as well as a possible molestation charge. Two abandoned barges, one being used as a home by Mark Siddons and his girfriend, Tina Aspern, and the other by Tom McMahon, the artist, have been burned in the middle of the night, set with deadly purpose by someone unknown. Mark at first comes under suspicion, until he comes up with an alibi, and then the dead girl's stepfather, who may also have molested her. There seems to be no reason for the first two fires, until Roland Gardiner, the recluse, is also killed. Is there a link between the fires? Banks and his team begin to
digest the facts and interview the suspects and witnesses, few though they are. Part of the charm and excitement of these mysteries are the police, whom we have gotten to know through Robinson's previous books: Banks, whose solitary and hardworking ways have gotten him divorced and separated from his grown children, and Annie Cabot, also a detective, who once dated Banks, but now tries to find time for someone special in her life. One of the best characters is a 6'1" Jamaican policewoman named Winsome Jackman, whose interrogation methods are at once cheeky and unsettling. And of course, we meet all sorts of people, the rogues and the righteous, as interrogation of witnesses goes on. Don't miss this one. Also new and recommended in the Best Seller section: “Deathline” by Jane Aiken Hodge; “The End of An Error” by Mameve Medwed; “Point of Honour” by Madeleine Robins; ”Black Valley” by Jim Brown; “The Crossley Baby” by Jacqueline Carey; “War Story” by Sarah Hely; “Auriel Rising” by Elizabeth Redfern; “The Mystery of Breathing” by Perri Klass; “The Maze” by Panos Karnezis; “Goldengirl” by Peter Lovesey; “The Last King” by Michael Ford; “The Rules of Engagement” by Anita Brookner; “The Zero Game” by Brad Meltzer; and “An Animated Death in Burbank” by Michael Joens. In nonfiction: “Parkinson’s: Everything You Need to Know” by David Grimes; “Hop, Skip & Jump” by Peter Walker; “Caesarean Recovery” by Chrissie Gallagher-Mundy; “Ship Ablaze” by Edward O’Donnell; “In Search of King Solomon’s Mines” by Tahir Shah; “Vincent de Paul” by Bernard Pujo; “The Essential Triathlete” by Steven Jonas; and “100 Suns” by Michael Light. For young adults: “Heroes” by Jim Stynes; “The Waco Standoff;” “Living in Ancient Egypt; “Mystery Box” by Gordon McAlpine; “Shadow of a Doubt” by S.L. Rottman; “The Assassination of John F. Kennedy;” “Drugs 101”by Margaret O. Hyde; “Full Tilt” by Neal Shusterman; and “My
Road Trip to the Pretty Girl Capital of the World” by Brian Yansky.


Amazing Web-Sites from Alessandra:
International Bulb Society
The American Numismatic Association
Words of Wellness
National Atlas of the United States
Learning Languages -- Spanish, French and Japanese
Voice of America Pronunciation Guide
Marine Biology
Ofoto: A Kodak Company – digital photo service site
We are in the process of moving the Talking Book collection to another area of the Library, as it has outgrown its allotted space. It is going to the shelves near the DVDs, but so far, only A to G has been moved, due to the fact that we need to have a lot more space than had been anticipated. The nice thing about the new arrangement is that the tapes will no longer have to "go around;" they will be on linear shelves, which should make them easier to find. Brand new tapes and CDs are waiting to go out on the shelves as I write this, so stay tuned, as they say. As I sit writing this at 6:00 A.M., I am reminded by the early light that Spring, cold and rainy
though it still may be this week, is actually here. Some of my plants have already arrived, and sit waiting for planting. And this, in turn, reminds me that the Library's May Fair, planned and directed by our Children's Librarian, Leslie Talon, is coming up, like the Spring flowers, very quickly. Leslie has planned a variety of activities for Sunday, May 2nd, from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. All adults and children are welcome. Also, anyone who would like to volunteer to help in this wonderful and fun celebration is very welcome to call Leslie at 215/836-5300. The Fair will be held on the Library grounds, so please cross your fingers that it doesn't rain! We want this to be totally enjoyable for everyone and a complete success, as this is our first outdoor program.
 The Library will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The Library Staff would like to wish all of our readers a Happy Easter and Passover.