RLB Staff Picks

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

This Newbery Honor winner is set in the Summer of 1899, in a sleepy Texas town. It is a wonderful story of a smart, resourceful 11-year old girl with a passion for scientific exploration and discovery in a time and place when girls just weren't allowed to be interested in those things. Each chapter starts with a quote from Darwin that complements the evolution of the Tate family.

Flotsam

The Lion & The Mouse

The wonderful illustrations in these two wordless stories make them my favorites as children’s gifts. They are both Caldecott Award winners. My absolute fav is “Flotsam” by David Wiesner which connects several generations of inquisitive children, just with finely detailed pictures. “The Loin and the Mouse” by Jerry Pinkey retells Aesop’s fable in luscious illustrations. Both of these wordless books appeal to art and book lovers of all ages.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning

ne stormy night in 1986 when she was 3 years old, Jody Lindner's father was murdered and her mother disappeared. Twenty-three years later, Jody is starting a teaching job in her home town of Rose, Kansas, when she learns from her uncles that the man convicted of murdering her father is being released from prison and is returning to town. His son, an attorney, has obtained his release from prison and has secured a new trial for him. This is a story of a tightly knit ranching community and their reactions to the release of the man they consider to be a murderer. It is also the story of Jody's search to learn what happened to her mother all those years ago. Pickard does an excellent job of interweaving romance, intrigue, and revenge.

Shanghai Girls

This novel introduces two complex and very real young women in sisters, Pearl and May. The first part of the novel is set in 1930’s Shanghai and paints a fascinating picture of the glamorous life in this “Paris of the East.” That life abruptly changes when their father reveals that he has gambled away all of the family’s money. Faced with the loss of their parents, the Japanese invasion, famine, and poverty, the girls flee. The novel explores tradition, family, love, loss and the challenges of living in a foreign land. We are drawn into the lives of these women and their families while learning some serious lessons about the struggles of Chinese immigrants.

Shadow Tag

A tale of love and passion, fueled by obsession.

Stitches

I am still haunted by the visuals from this memoir; David's mother's penetrating stare through cateye glasses, the sterility and fluoresce of long hospital hallways, and ultimately the spine-like scar snaking down David's neck. His parents may have taken his voice, but he learned to scream with his pencil and paper. An unfortunate masterpiece.

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Set in Seattle area, this family drama novel is told through the voice of a dog. I found it gripping and informative. I learned a lot about the art and skill of auto racing - a whole new area for me.

Notes of a Dirty Old Man

I don't know if I could genuinely recommend this to you unless you have the patience, wonder, and broad eyed fascination of the human condition that allows you to enjoy life at the level of Bukowski. Once you do, however, once you have sifted through the mire of human degeneracy, the reward is incredible. What a writer! What a world!

Beautiful Boy

This is a memoir written from the perspective of a father of an addicted son. He shares memories from the beginning of his son's life, including all of his recoveries and relapses. Sheff is able to communicate the pain, worry, and confusion that family members experience when trying to figure out how to handle their loved one's choices and behavior.

Little Bee

An engrossing read - the story of two likeble characters who share a tragic life changing moment and meet again after two years. I would have perferred a different ending, but still loved the book.

The Gamble

This is the second of the Loss of Certainty Trilogy about Dubuque. See if you recognize who's who!

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