Staff,
Board, and Volunteer Favorites of 2005
FICTION
JUV
FIC CREE Creech, Sharon. Replay
Warm, funny, sad, and definitely unique-this book follows
Leo "the sardine" as he tries to wiggle his way
around his boisterous family and discover what it means
to grow up. --Crystal
Kehoe, Youth Services Assistant
JUV
FIC GANT, YA FIC GANT Gantos, Jack. Joey
Pigza Swallowed the Key
A really fun book! Very hyper! --Jesell
Wilson, Youth Services, Children's Aide
JUV
SF/FAN COLL, YA SF/FAN COLL Collins, Suzanne.
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
Gregor the Overlander, Gregor and the Prophecy
of Bane and Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
are the first three books in a series by Suzanne Collins.
(I hope there are more...and based on the ending of the
last one, there has to be.) These books are good reads for
the upper elementary and middle school readers (and of course
the School Liaison Librarian at Bettendorf Public Library).
The title character in this series is an African American
boy who lives in an apartment in New York City. Through
a chance (or is it?) event, Gregor and his baby sister find
themselves underground in a series of adventures spelled
out through prophecy. In the company of giant talking bats,
giant talking rats, giant cockroaches and an underground
race of humans, Gregor has the fate of his new friends resting
on his shoulders. These books are so good that I was even
able to become engrosssed in the last one on an airplane.
(A great feat for me as I am unable to concentrate on anything
when I fly.) --
Paul Odell, School Liaison Librarian
YA SF/FAN
PULL, TC SF/FAN PULL Pullman, Philip. His Dark
Materials Trilogy: The Golden Compass, The
Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass
My husband and I got this for my 11-year-old nephew to listen
to and ended up spellbound ourselves. If you liked Harry Potter,
this is for you! Well, if you at least eleven. I think it's
best for 8th grade and up, adults, definitely. Complete with
magic, doors to other worlds, witches, angels, and struggle
of the GOOD against dark forces of evil in the world, this
story is more complex and bound to be more controversial than
Harry Potter. The 3rd book in the series is especially so,
questioning the motives of the church, the conventional vision
of heaven, and the place of sexuality in a moral society.
--Dottie
Wala, Volunteer
YA SF/FAN
WEST Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies
Tally lives in a world where everyone is ugly until they
turn 16; at that point, everyone is surgically altered to
a scientifically-based version of pretty. But what if you
think you look fine the way you are? There is a sequel to
this called Pretties (YA SF/FAN WEST). Brilliant concept
and terrific execution. Westerfeld is a shining new star
in the field of young adult literature; he hasn't failed
me yet. --Maria
Levetzow, Youth Services and Information
F BAKE
Baker, Larry. The Flamingo Rising
Larry Baker presently lives in Iowa City, but this story
takes place in Florida in the 1960s. It is full of drive-in
theatre lore and eccentric characters. It is easy to read
and rich in connections to life, death, and a variety of
social issues (e.g., racisim, sexism, and boosterism). St.
Ambrose University used this book in several classes this
year and Baker gave some presentations on campus which were
very interesting. That added to the book's special allure
for me. --Hedy
N.R. Hustedde, Information Librarian
F BOYL
Boyle, T. Coraghessan. Tortilla Curtain
This is a gripping story of the hopes and difficulties faced
by an illegal Mexican immigrant couple trying to start a
new life in California. Hardship, fear, despair, and ultimately,
tragedy become their lot. Their lives on the fringes of
society are contrasted with those of the wealthy residents
whose regard for them ranges from ambivalent feelings of
social responsibility to outright contempt. I felt uncomfortable
as I read of the series of disasters which befall the immigrants
and , as a result, I wrestled with my own conscience regarding
their plight. The author manages to be nonjudgmental, examining
all sides of a difficult social, political, economic, and
moral problem. --Dottie Wala, Volunteer
F BROO,
LARGE TYPE F BROO Brooks, Geraldine. March
Growing up, I must have read Little Women a dozen times
so I was intrigued when I saw a review of March. The main
character in this book is the father in the March family,
who was absent for most of Little Women because he was off
fighting in the Civil War. Going back and forth in time,
the book follows Captain March from his early days as a
peddler in the South, through his marriage to Marmee and
the birth of his daughters, to his service in the Civil
War. The author used the letters and journals of Bronson
Alcott, Louisa May's father to create the voice of the narrator.
--Rita
Rosauer, Senior Manager
FIC GERR,
LARGE TYPE FIC GERR, CD FIC GERR Gerritsen, Tess.
Vanish
Just plain white knuckle death-grip-on-the-book good reading!
--Shannon,
Circulation Clerk
F GOLD
Goldberg, Myla. Bee Season
This novel was selected by an outside scholar to be discussed
by a local group focusing on Jewish literature during summer
2005. The story explores human relationships and spiritual
tendencies. The characters are vivid and to some degree
sympathetic even to those who are not Jewish by birth or
affiliation. The discussion generated by the book supports
its value, but a lone reader would also be caught up in
the passion for words expressed in the novel. Note: the
"bee" in the title refers not to an insect but
to a spelling competition. --Michael
Hustedde, Volunteer (A/V support and Emily Dickinson Garden)
F HOSS,
LARGE TYPE F HOSS, DIBS F HOSS, CD F HOSS, TC F HOSS Hosseini,
Khaled. The Kite Runner
This is a story of friendship and betrayal. It stayed with
me long after I had finished the book.
--Carol
Crane, Tech Processing Clerk (Note: This book has lasting
appeal-this is the second consecutive year it has appeared
on the "Favorites" list.)
F LAND
Landvik, Lorna. Anything I read Patty
Jane's House of Curl when it first came out and Angry
Housewives Eating Bon Bons earlier this year. Both were
enjoyable so I went back and read some of the author's other
works: Welcome to the Great Mysterious, Your Oasis
on Flame Lake, and Oh My Stars. If you
like heartwarming stories with a healthy helping of humor
and "non-standard" characters, you will enjoy
these. --Karen Madesian, Circulation
Services Manager
F PICO,
CD F PICO, TC F PICO Picoult, Jodi. Vanishing
Acts
This was my first by Picoult and she's really good too.
She writes her books as each different person in the story
so you get a lot of different perspectives.
--Shannon, Circulation Clerk
HOR
KOON Koontz, Dean. The Frankenstein
series
Book One: Prodigal Son
Book Two: City of Night
This is one of his newer series. I've read the first 2 and
they were so good I could not put them down. Book Three
comes out in '06! --Shannon, Circulation
Clerk
ROM
MACO, LARGE TYPE ROM MACO, CD ROM MACO Macomber, Debbie.
A Good Yarn
This is the continuation of her book The Shop on Blossom
Street (ROM MACO, LARGE TYPE ROM MACO, TC ROM MACO) that
came out last year. Story continues with some of the same
characters and focuses on others from the first book. Also
about how the healing power of friendships can change a
person's life, no matter what age you or your friends are.
Also talks a lot about knitting. Debbie Macomber has a knack
for creating characters that you can identify with and you
feel as if you've made a friend by the end of the book.
--Nancy Medema, Lead Library Assistant
M MATE
Matetsky, Amanda. The Paige Turner
series
Murderers Prefer Blondes
Murder Is a Girl's Best Friend
How to Marry a Murderer
The wit and humor the author uses in her writing style overcomes
even the most serious situations that Paige finds herself
in. Set in the 1950s, they're suspenseful, funny, nostalgic,
and hard to put down once you start reading them. --LuAnn
Hogan, Technical Services Clerk
NONFICTION
306.461
FA Fadiman, Anne. The Spirit Catches
You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors,
and the Collision of Two Cultures
Both parents and doctors wanted what was best for Lia, a
Hmong child in California diagnosed with severe epilepsy,
but the lack of understanding between them led to tragedy.
This book is easily read by the general reader and SHOULD
be read by anyone who works in any way, shape, or form with
an immigrant group or by anyone who ever has to go to a
doctor on their own behalf or on the behalf of anyone else.
This is one of those marvelous nonfiction-written-like-fiction
stories that makes you keep turning the pages and makes
you glad you read it. --Hedy N.R. Hustedde,
Information Librarian
347.7314
LE Levin, Mark R. Men in Black: How
the Supreme Court Is Destroying America
History of the Supreme Court from President Washington to
today.
--Ralph Carmichael, Volunteer
364.1523
LA, LARGE TYPE 364.1523 LA, CD 364.1523 LA, TC 364.1523
LA Larson, Erik. The Devil in the White
City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed
America
A fascinating look at the obstacles faced and the development
of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Out of the dark and dirty
"black" city of Chicago emerged the new "white"
city with wonders such as acres of buildings and sights
lit by electricity, to innovations such as Aunt Jemima pancake
mix, to the gigantic ferris wheel. Paralleling the story
of Daniel Burnham, the fair's chief architect, is the story
of H.H. Holmes, a psychopathic serial killer, who preyed
on young female fair goers. An amazing historical account
with murder and madness in the mix. --Caran
Johnson, Volunteer and Outreach Services Coordinator
530.11
BO Bodanis, David. E=mc² A Biography
of the World's Most Famous Equation
I read this because of a grant the Library received involving
the airing of Einstein's Big Idea on public television's
NOVA series. My book discussion group was not particularly
looking forward to it, but it turned out to be a real winner
with many of the group purchasing multiple copies of the
book to give as gifts. It is for layperson and scientist
alike. From the "Preface" to the "Notes"
to the "Guide to Further Reading" to the "Acknowledgements",
EVERYTHING in this book is worth reading and enjoyable to
read. The author is personally very accessible as well.
I emailed him asking what he most loved about writing this
book and he responded the same day: "I loved the image
from Einstein that I use where he says that he feels that
he's a little boy, in a big dark room, where the walls are
filled with books, which contain all the truths of the universe.
Very occasionally someone manages to go up to one of the
books, and slip it out, and glance at one of the pages.
That's what he felt he'd managed in his life-just to see
a few lines of writing on just one of the pages, of just
one of the books."
DVD 530.092 EI; VC 530.092 EI Einstein's Big Idea
-These videorecordings from the public television program
NOVA are based on Bodanis's book. --Hedy
N.R. Hustedde, Information Librarian
599.789
CR Croke, Vicki. The Lady and the Panda:
The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to
Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal
In 1936, Ruth Harkness, a New York socialite, took over
the lead in her late husband's expedition to China. The
goal was to bring the first live panda back to the United
States. Not only did she succeed, but she followed up with
two more successful expeditions. She received international
acclaim when she presented two live pandas to the Brookfield
Zoo in Chicago. Harkness's journeys to China, the difficult
and dangerous expeditions, as well as accounts of her personal,
party-filled life, make this a fascinating read. --Barb
Reardon, Information Librarian
610.92
KI, CD 610.92 KI Kidder, Tracy. Mountains
Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man
Who Would Cure the World
Caution: This book may change your life! Easily one of the
most inspiring and challenging books I've ever read (along
with Dominique LaPierre's City of Joy 954.14 LA,
LARGE TYPE 954.14 LA). Tracy Kidder, the great creative
nonfiction writer, opens a window onto the world of Paul
Farmer, a Harvard doctor who is dedicated to treating the
poorest people in the poorest country in the western hemisphere,
Haiti, with the same high quality medical care and concern
as he does the Boston Brahmin class. Kidder presents Farmer
in all the fullness of his humanity, faults and all, while
holding up to us his shining example of how one person,
with enough dedication to the task, is capable of influencing
the world for good. The CASI Book Group read this, and we
all agree: this is one of the best books we've ever read.
Far from orthodox, Dr. Farmer's guiding principle for his
work is one of my favorite sayings of Jesus: Matthew 25:40.
--Barb Kuttler, Parttime Reference
Librarian
641.5092
RE, CD 641.5092 RE Reichl, Ruth. Garlic
and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise
Ruth Reichl was the food critic for the New York Times,
and this is her story of reviewing restaurants, often in
elaborate disguises. As a "foodie", I loved the
descriptions of food. --Judi Sarafin,
Information Librarian
BIOG
ARMSTRONG Kelly, Linda Armstrong. No
Mountain High Enough: Raising Lance, Raising Me
This book was written by Lance's mother as an autobiography
and a tribute to his multiple Tour de France winnings and
his cancer survival. Her secret to Lance's success (and
hers)? "What can I say?" she writes, "I believe
in being cheered on." Linda found herself pregnant
(with Lance) as a junior (17 years old) in high school.
As a single mother, she often struggled to get what they
wanted or needed by "stumbling and getting up again."
She supported Lance and herself with two or three jobs at
a time, until she was employed by Ericsson Telecommunications
as a CEO. This book is filled with heartwarming quotes by
Linda. You can hear her mom-, cheerleader-, and coach-voice
throughout the book. This book was very interesting to read
as it reads like a diary or personal journey.
--Shar Campbell, Receptionist
BIOG
DIRIE Dirie, Waris. Desert Flower: The
Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad -Wonderful
biography --Susan DeGeeter, Tech/Circulation
