Archive for the ‘Book recommendations’ Category

Free video download of Horton Hears a Who

Wednesday, March 5th, 2008

To celebrate Dr. Seuss’s 104th birthday, the National Education Association is offering a free download of the animated digital version of Horton Hears a Who. This offer is good during March.

For more information and a link to the download site. Scroll down the page until you see Horton against a yellow background.

2007 Agatha Christie Award nominees announced

Tuesday, March 4th, 2008

Agatha Christie Awards or Agatha’s are awarded to mystery and crime writers who write traditional mystery novels following the model of Agatha Christie. These mysteries typically involve an amateur sleuth and do not contain explicit sex or excessive gore and violence. They’re just good mysteries.

Awards are presented at the annual Malice Convention in 5 areas: Best Novel, Best First Mystery, Best Short Story, Best Non-Fiction, and Best Children’s/Young Adult Mystery.

For lists of past winners visit Wikipedia.

LJ’s Best Mystery Fiction of 2007

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

From the Library Journal–this annual list of their favorite mysteries from 2007:

A Treasury of Regrets

  • Alleyn, Susanne
  • Set in post-revolutionary Paris, freelance inspector Aristide Ravel investigates the poisoning of the patriarch of the wealthy Duponts. Good attention to historical detail.

Tahoe Silence

  • Borg, Todd
  • PI McKenna embarks on a voyage of self-discovery as he tries to find a kidnapped 17 year old who is also mute and autistic. One of a few good novels about autism.

Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead

  • Drake, Nick
  • This debut novel introduces a Theban policeman who is ordered to find the missing Nefertiti. If he doesn’t, he’s dead. Lots of historical detail plus well-drawn characters.

A Beautiful Blue Death

  • Finch, Charles
  • Another debut novel. This time set in Victorian England. A complex mystery detailing the developing relationship of Charles Lenox and Lady Jane as they attempt to solve the murder of a maid who learned too much.

Fresh Kills: An Artie Cohen Mystery

  • Nadelson, Reggie
  • PI Cohen struggles to identify a serial killer targeting little girls in New York City and deal with the needs of a troubled nephew and solve his own personal problems. The best so far of Nadleson’s “Archipelago Trilogy.”

Save money on your books–

Wednesday, February 20th, 2008

If you like to read and own your copies of books, the author of this article has 10 good suggestions for helping you stretch your book budget. Using your local library is one way, but he also includes internet resources that allow you to download copies of the classics or sites for trading or selling books you no longer want.

Ten Ways to Save Money on Books

Library of Congress–Book list for kids

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

As part of its Livelong Literacy Campaign, the Library of Congress suggests these titles for children and young adults. The LOC believes these books can spark the imagination of young readers and transport them to new and exciting places.

  • The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales owned by ZCL
  • The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs owned by ZCL
  • A Long Way from Chicago owned by ZCL
  • Holes owned by ZCL
  • Esperanza Rising owned by ZCL
  • Maniac McGee owned by ZCL
  • Ella Enchanted on order
  • Call It Courage owned by ZCL
  • Hatchet owned by ZCL

More suggestions for kids in the following genres are also available:

  • Classics
  • Adventure and Sprots
  • Comedy and Humor
  • Fantasy and Magic
  • Mystery
  • Social Issues
  • Non Fiction

Best Books of 2007—-Goodreads’ version

Thursday, February 7th, 2008

Goodreads, the worlds largest on-line bookclub, provides the following list of “best” books based on the titles most read by Goodreads members during 2007.

Most read fiction books:

  1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow–owned by ZCL
  2. The Kite Runner–owned by ZCL
  3. A Thousand Splendid Suns–owned by ZCL
  4. To Kill a Mockingbird– owned by ZCL
  5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone –owned by ZCL
  6. The Catcher in the Rye–owned by ZCL
  7. Middlesex–owned by ZCL
  8. The Da Vinci Code–owned by ZCL
  9. Water for Elephants–owned by ZCL
  10. The Great Gatsby–owned by ZCL

Most read nonfiction books:

  1. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia–owned by ZCL
  2. The Glass Castle: A Memoir
  3. Me Talk Pretty One Day
  4. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
  5. Running with Scissors: A Memoir–owned by ZCL
  6. Freakonomics Rev Ed: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything–owned by ZCL
  7. Into the Wild–owned by ZCL
  8. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
  9. The Omnivore’s Dilemma–owned by ZCL
  10. The Year of Magical Thinking–owned by ZCL

Politics and women

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008

Thirty women offer their perceptions of Hillary. This collection of essays covers a wide variety of attitudes–some are personal, some are political, some are positive, and some negative. Together, these portraits can lead to some insight in how our country perceives women in positions of power.

NPR’s review and discussion of the book: Ways of Looking at Hillary

Read Something New in 2008!!!

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008

Booklist’s 2007 Top of the List: The Best of Editor’s Choice contains the best of the best in eight categories: adult fiction, adult nonfiction, youth fiction, youth nonfiction, youth picture, book, reference source, video/DVD, and audiobook. Chek the list out for something good to read.

For a different slant on a fun read, look at Nancy Pearl’s A New Batch of Under-the-Radar Books. This quirky list includes the story of three royal cousins, a wild animal adventure story, and a punny picture book for kids that should be shared with adults. Enjoy.

Read something new in 2008

Wednesday, January 9th, 2008

Begin your new year by trying a new author. See the following lists for some enjoyable reads.

A Year of Books Worth Curling up With

A list created by three New York Times book reviewers. Each picked 10 favorites.

From Time Magazine’s lists of Top Ten for 2007:

Seen the movie? Read the book.

Love books?

Friday, February 23rd, 2007

Share your feelings with other book lovers at:

http://booklust.wetpaint.com/

Author and reviewer—Nancy Pearl—has established a wiki for people who love books. She is currently collecting suggestions for the best books and most popular authors of 2006. One of her personal top ten suggestions for non fiction in 2006 is My Life in France by Julia Child and one of her ten top picks for fiction is In the Company of the Courtesan. Get more suggestions from her wiki.