07.26.2017

Folk and Fairy Tales

Picture Books

Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest by Gerald McDermott

(Children + E99.N77 M33 1993)

“Raven, the trickster, wants to give people the gift of light. But can he find out where Sky Chief keeps it? And if he does, will he be able to escape without being discovered? His dream seems impossible, but if anyone can find a way to bring light to the world, wise and clever Raven can!” —Provided by publisher.

The Girl of the Wish Garden: A Thumbelina Story by Uma Krishnaswami; illustrated by Nasrin Khosravi

(Children PZ8.K9116 Gi 2013)

A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale about a girl who is only one inch tall.

Issun Bôshi: The One-Inch Boy by Icinori

(Children Lg PZ8.1.I25 Is 2014)

This classic Japanese fairy tale tells the story of Issun Bôshi, the tiny son of an old, long childless couple. He is tested in several adventures and handles himself so bravely that, in the end, he is rewarded with just the right princess!

The Talking Eggs by Robert D. San Souci; illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

(Children + PZ8.1.S227 Tal 1989)

A Southern folktale in which kind Blanche, following the instructions of an old witch, gains riches, while her greedy sister makes fun of the old woman and is duly rewarded.

Sugar Cane: A Caribbean Rapunzel by Patricia Storace; illustrated by Raúl Colón

(Children + PZ8.1.S864 Su 2007)

A version of the folktale Rapunzel, set in the Caribbean.

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal by Paul Fleischman; illustrated by Julie Paschkis

(Children Picture Book + FLEIS)

The author draws from a variety of folk traditions to put together this version of Cinderella, including elements from Mexico, Iran, Korea, Russia, Appalachia, and more.

Princess Furball by Charlotte Huck; pictures by Anita Lobel

(Children Picture Book + HUCK)

A princess in a coat of a thousand furs hides her identity from a king who falls in love with her.

Puss & Boots by Ayano Imai

(Children Picture Book + IMAI)

“It’s all about the shoes! A poor shoemaker and his cat lived together. Business was bad. ‘Don’t give up so easily,’ advised the cat. ‘Make me some beautiful boots, and I will do the rest!’ This clever cat can deal with anything, even a shoe-loving monster. Ayano Imai’s delightful twist on the classic Puss in Boots story, sees the loyal cat taking on a terrible monster—and winning.” —Provided by publisher.

Little Red Riding Hood by Jerry Pinkney

(Children Picture Book + PINKN)

A sweet little girl meets a hungry wolf in the forest while on her way to visit her grandmother.

Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith

(Children Picture Book + SCIES)

Madcap revisions of familiar tales.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka; illustrated by Lane Smith

(Children Picture Book + SCIES)

The wolf gives his own outlandish version of what really happened when he tangled with the three little pigs.

Can You Guess My Name? By Judy Sierra; illustrated by Stefano Vitale

(Children Picture Book + SIERR)

A collection of fifteen folktales from all over the world, including stories that resemble “The Three Pigs,” “The Bremen Town Musicians,” and “Rumpelstiltskin.”

Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion by Alex T. Smith(Children Picture Book + SMITH)

In this version of Little Red Riding Hood, set on the African plains, Little Red realizes what the Very Hungry Lion is up to, and teaches him a lesson before generously sharing her donuts with him.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs translated by Randall Jarrell; illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert

(Children Picture Book Lg SNOW)

Retells the tale of the beautiful princess whose lips were red as blood, skin was white as snow, and hair was black as ebony.

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe

(Children Picture Book + STEPT)

Mufaro’s two beautiful daughters, one bad-tempered, one kind and sweet, go before the king, who is choosing a wife.

Chapter Books

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

(Children PZ7.L578345 El 1997)

In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her.

Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola; illustrated by Emily Carroll

(Children PZ7.M134 Ba 2015)

“Most children think twice before braving a haunted wood filled with terrifying beasties to match wits with a witch, but not Masha. Her beloved grandma taught her many things: that stories are useful, that magic is fickle, that nothing is too difficult or too dirty to clean. The fearsome witch of folklore needs an assistant, and Masha needs an adventure. She may be clever enough to enter Baba Yaga’s house-on-chicken-legs, but within its walls, deceit is the rule. To earn her place, Masha must pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her host. No easy task, with children on the menu!” —Provided by publisher.

I Was a Rat by Philip Pullman

(Children PZ7.P968 Iw 2002)

A little boy turns life in London upside down when he appears at the house of a lonely old couple and insists he was a rat.

Young Adult

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

(Children PZ7.N15 Bo 2004)

In a novel based on Chinese Cinderella tales, fourteen-year-old stepchild Xing-Xing endures a life of neglect and servitude, as her stepmother cruelly mutilates her own child’s feet so that she alone might marry well.

Zel by Donna Jo Napoli

(Children PZ8.N127 Ze 1996)

Based on the fairy tale Rapunzel, the story is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Zel, her mother, and the nobleman who pursues her, and delves into the psychological motivations of each of the characters.

Poetry

Mirror, Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer; illustrated by Josée Masse

(Children + PS3569.I546 M57 2010)

A collection of short poems which, when reversed, provide new perspectives on the fairy tale characters they feature.

Collections

The Seven Wise Princesses: A Medieval Persian Epic retold by Wafaʹ Tarnowska; illustrated by Nilesh Mistry

(Children + PZ8.T178 Se 2000)

A lonely king, inspired by seven mysterious portraits, invites seven lovely princesses to live with him; their stories entertain and educate him in the ways of a wise ruler.

The People Could Fly: The Book of Black Folktales told by Virginia Hamilton; illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon

(Children + PZ8.1.H154 Pe 1985)

Retold Afro-American folktales of animals, fantasy, the supernatural, and desire for freedom, born of the sorrow of the slaves, but passed on in hope.

The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit as told by Julius Lester; illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

(Children PZ8.1.L434 Las 1994)

“Whether he is besting Brer Fox or sneaking into Mr. Man’s garden, Brer Rabbit is always teaching a valuable lesson. These classic tales are full of wit, humor, and creativity, and Julius Lester brings an added contemporary sense to these forty-eight timeless stories.” —Provided by publisher.

The Serpent Slayer and Other Stories of Strong Women by Katrin Tchana; illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

(Children Lg PZ8.1.T19 Se 2000)

A collection of twenty traditional tales from various parts of the world, each of whose main character is a strong and resourceful woman.

Land of the Long White Cloud: Maori Myths, Tales, and Legends by Kiri Te Kanawa; illustrated by Michael Foreman

(Children + PZ8.1 .T23 1989)

A collection of nineteen tales from various Maori tribes of New Zealand about the trickster Maui, the Creation, monsters, birds, animals, and special places.

06.29.2017

Art

Picture Books

Radiant Child: the Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe

(Children + CT275.B3774 S73 2016)

“Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocked to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe’s vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat’s own introduce young readers to the powerful message that art doesn’t always have to be neat or clean—and definitely not inside the lines—to be beautiful.”—Provided by publisher.

Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Jamey Christoph

(Children + CT275.P375 W42 2015)

“Gordon Parks is most famous for being the first black director in Hollywood. But before he made movies and wrote books, he was a poor African American looking for work. When he bought a camera, his life changed forever. He taught himself how to take pictures and before long, people noticed.”—Provided by publisher.

Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois by Amy Novesky; illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

(Children + CT1018.B69 .N68 2016)

“Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010) was a world-renowned modern artist noted for her sculptures made of wood, steel, stone, and cast rubber. Her most famous spider sculpture, Maman, stands more than 30 feet high. Just as spiders spin and repair their webs, Louise’s own mother was a weaver of tapestries. Louise spent her childhood in France as an apprentice to her mother before she became a tapestry artist herself. She worked with fabric throughout her career, and this biographical picture book shows how Bourgeois’s childhood experiences weaving with her loving, nurturing mother provided the inspiration for her most famous works. With a beautifully nuanced and poetic story, this book stunningly captures the relationship between mother and daughter and illuminates how memories are woven into us all.”—Provided by publisher.

My Name is Georgia: A Portrait by Jeanette Winter

(Children ND237.O5 W56 1998)

Presents, in brief text and illustrations, the life of the painter who drew much of her inspiration from nature.

The Theft of the Mona Lisa by Cyriel Verleyen; illustrated by Henry Branton

(Children ND623.L5 V513 1971)

Describes Leonardo da Vinci’s efforts to get the Mona Lisa to smile, the trouble the smile caused him, and the speculation it aroused in the Louvre for three centuries until the painting was mysteriously stolen.

Dinner at Magritte’s by Michael Garland

(Children + PZ7.G18413 Di 1995)

Young Pierre spends the day with surrealist artists René Magritte and Salvador Dalí.

The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau by Jon Agee

(Children Picture Book + AGEE)

An unknown artist becomes an overnight sensation when his painting comes to life.

Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell; illustrated by Rafael Lopez

(Children Picture Book +CAMPO)

“Mira lives in a gray and hopeless urban community until a muralist arrives and, along with his paints and brushes, brings color, joy, and togetherness to Mira and her neighbors.”—Provided by publisher.

Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf; illustrated by Ed Young

(Children Picture Book LEAF)

An artist agrees to paint a dragon on the wall of a Chinese village, but the magistrate’s insistence that he paint eyes on the dragon has amazing results.

Matthew’s Dream by Leo Lionni

(Children Picture Book + LIONN)

A visit to an art museum inspires a young mouse to become a painter.

Brush of the Gods by Lenore Look

(Children Picture Book + LOOK)

During the Tang dynasty, master painter Wu Daozi creates an extraordinary mural for the emperor.

Lulu and the Flying Babies by Posy Simmonds

(Children Picture Book + SIMMO)

Stuck waiting for her family in the art museum when she would much rather be playing outside in the park, a little girl is picked up by two cherubim and taken for a wild romp through several paintings.

You Can’t Take a Balloon Into the Museum of Fine Arts by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman; illustrated by Robin Preiss Glaser

(Children Picture Book + WEITZ)

While a brother and sister, along with their grandparents, visit the Museum of Fine Arts, the balloon they were not allowed to bring into the museum floats around Boston, causing a series of mishaps at various tourist sites.

Art & Max by Davis Wiesner

(Children Picture Book WIESN)

Max wants to be an artist like Arthur, but his first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various media, with unexpected consequences.

Frida by Jonah Winter; illustrated by Ana Juan

(Children Picture Book WINTE)

Discusses the childhood of Frida Kahlo and how it influenced her art.

The Magic Brush by Kat Yeh; illustrated by Huy Voun Lee

(Children Picture Book YEH)

Jasmine’s grandfather teaches her Chinese calligraphy by drawing and making up stories together. Includes Chinese characters and pronunciation key, brief history of Chinese art, and descriptions of Chinese treats.

Chapter Books

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett ; illustrated by Brett Helquist

(Children PZ7.B2128 Ch 2004)

When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.

Masterpiece by Elise Broach

(Children PZ7.B78083 Mas 2008)

After Marvin, a beetle, makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for James, a human with whom he shares a house, the two new friends work together to help recover a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

(Children PZ7.K8352 Fr)

“Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away…so she decided not to run FROM somewhere, but TO somewhere. And so, after some careful planning, she and her younger brother, Jamie, escaped—right into a mystery that made headlines!” —Provided by publisher.

The Old Man Mad About Drawing: A Tale of Hokusai by François Place

(Children PZ7.P6899 Ol 2004)

Tojiro, a young seller of rice cakes in the Japanese capital of Edo, later known as Tokyo, is amazed to discover that the grumpy and shabby old man who buys his cakes is a famous artist renowned for his sketches, prints, and paintings of flowers, animals, and landscapes.

Young Adult

Still Life With Tornado by A. S. King

(Young Adult PZ7.K573 St 2016)

“A talented 16-year-old artist slowly discovers the history of domestic violence behind why her brother left the family years earlier and why she suddenly cannot make art.” — Provided by publisher

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

(Young Adult PZ7.N433835 Il 2014)

“Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways … until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else — an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah’s story to tell. The later years are Jude’s. What the twins don’t realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.” — Provided by publisher

Informational Books

Virginia Lee Burton: A Life in Art by Barbara Elleman

(Children + CT275.B8745 E44 2002)

Examines the life, career, artistic style, and literary themes of the twentieth-century author and illustrator of such classic picture books as “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel” and “The Little House.”

Chuck Close: Face Book by Chuck Close

(Children + CT275.C585 A3 2012)

Presents an autobiography about the author’s artistic life, describing the creative processes he uses in the studio and his struggles with his disabilities. Includes a self-portrait mix-and-match section that demonstrates his techniques and images.

Story Painter: The Life of Jacob Lawrence by John Duggleby

(Children + CT275.L38653 D83 1998)

A biography of the African American artist who grew up in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance and became one of the most renowned painters of the life of his people.

Randolph Caldecott: The Man Who Could Not Stop Drawing by Leonard S. Marcus

(Children Lg CT788.C1443 M37 2013)

Available in time for the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal, an utterly unique biography of the remarkable artist the award honors: Randolph Caldecott, the father of the modern picture book. Includes never-before-published drawings by Caldecott himself.

Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer by Robert Byrd

(Children + N6923.L33 B97 2003)

Illustrations and text portray the life of Leonardo da Vinci, who gained fame as a artist through such works as the Mona Lisa, and as a scientist by studying various subjects including human anatomy and flight.

Cave Paintings to Picasso by Henry Sayre

(Children + N7440 .S29 2004)

Introduces fifty celebrated works of art, including King Tut’s sarcophagus and Andy Warhol’s paintings of Campbell’s soup cans, with historical and interpretive information for each piece.

Romare Bearden: Collage of Memories by Jan Greenberg

(Children + N6537.B4 G74 2003)

Recounts the life of the twentieth-century African-American collage artist who used his southern childhood, New York City, jazz, and Paris to influence his bold and meaningful art.

Don’t Hold Me Back: My Life and Art by Winfred Rembert

(Children + ND237.R35 A2 2003)

Through words and paintings, an artist tells about growing up on a cotton plantation in Cuthbert, Georgia, serving time in prison for his actions during a civil rights demonstration, and finding a purpose and direction in life.

Grant Wood: The Artist in the Hayloft by Deborah J. Leach

(Children + ND237.W795 L43 2005)

This tour through Grant Wood’s Cedar Rapids hayloft studio welcomes young readers into the world of an iconic, rural American artist whose rich, stylised paintings have an immediate appeal to children.

Monet by Jude Welton

(Children + ND553.M7 W39 1999)

“Explore Claude Monet’s life and art, and the influences that shaped his work.” —Provided by publisher.

Van Gogh by Bruce Bernard

(Children + ND653.G7 B47 2000)

“Explore Vincent van Gogh’s life and art, and the influences that shaped his work.” —Provided by publisher.

Four Pictures by Emily Carr by Nicolas Debon

(Children ND249.C3 D42 2003)

Written and illustrated in comic strips, the book traces Carr’s life through four of her famous paintings.

06.12.2017

Staff Book Suggestions Summer 2017

Victoria Johnson

Grace by Daphne A. Brooks

(Library of Congress ML3470 .T54 no. 23)

Brooks’s examination of Jeff Buckley’s sole legendary album Grace is a pleasure. This quick read is a personal love letter to the man and his music. Brooks—once tapped to write the liner notes for this album’s anniversary re-release—delves deep into Buckley’s lyrics, live performances, and legacies by examining his previously off-limits journals. It is also a thorough examination of Buckley’s influences (including Nina Simone, Rainer Maria Rilke, Led Zeppelin, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan). If you’re already a Buckley fan, this book re-examines the album you thought you knew, song by song. If you’re reading this and thinking, “Who’s Jeff Buckley?” I implore you to check this book out. As the weeks of summer roll on, set your weekend road trips to the sound of Jeff Buckley’s Grace.*

*If the “mystery white boy” isn’t your preferred travel companion, peruse the shelf where this book is located—there you’ll find biographies of similarly masterful albums—from Dusty Springfield’s Dusty in Memphis to Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Not Just Jane: Rediscovering Seven Amazing Women Writers Who Transformed British Literature by Shelley DeWees
(Library of Congress PR111 .D49 2016)

Unless you’ve been living under the world’s largest rock for the past two centuries, you know all about Miss Jane “it-is-a-truth-universally-acknowledged” Austen. While she is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated female authors in history, she alone did not write the book (pun-intended) on making a name for oneself as a woman writer. This excellent debut from Shelley DeWees takes readers through the glorious English countryside as we meet seven women writers who were just as celebrated, successful, and famous in their day as Austen. While the book can only offer guesses at their subsequent descent into obscurity, it emphatically presents seven new authors to add to your Goodreads summer reading queue.

Judith Maas

The Summer Guest by Alison Anderson
(Library of Congress  PZ4.A545 Su 2016)

In the summers of 1888 and 1889, Anton Chekhov and his family rented a house on a country estate in Ukraine and struck up a friendship with the estate owners. At the time, he was practicing medicine, publishing short stories, and beginning to write for the theater. In this novel, Anderson teases the reader with the possibility that Chekhov wrote a novel during those peaceful summers, inspired by his conversations with Zina Lintvaryova, a doctor and a daughter of the estate owners. 

The story is set in the past and the present and told from the viewpoints of three women, each of whom is facing painful life changes and reassessing her place in the world: Zina herself, who keeps a diary in which she reflects on the events of the two summers; Katya Kendall, a Russian emigre living in London in 2014 who plans to publish Zina’s diary; and Ana Harding, hired by Katya to translate the diary. The different strands of the novel blend together beautifully: the perspectives of the three women; the mystery of whether Chekhov wrote a novel; and the deep connection that blossoms between Chekhov and Zina.

Elizabeth O’Meara
The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folger’s Obsessive Hunt for Shakespeare’s First Folio by Andrea Mays
(Library of Congress Z989.F66 M28 2015​)

This was such a fun book. Henry Folger and his wife Emily started collecting Shakespeare even before they could afford it. Their first Shakespeare purchase was made in 1888, a copy of the 1685 Fourth Folio of the plays for $107.50. As Henry’s career advanced at Standard Oil, eventually leading him to president then chairman of Standard Oil of New York, their collecting became truly obsessive. His primary interest was in First Folios but the collecting broadened out to anything related to Shakespeare’s era. He and his wife were real partners in their love and knowledge of all things Shakespeare. The stories of his hunt for First Folios were exciting and it was amazing how many he was able to collect while concealing his identity. After their library was built in Washington D.C. (1932), it took more than six months to locate all the storage units housing the collection and transport the collection to the library. So…it was, at last, all in one place. Interestingly, the year before The Millionaire and the Bard was published, Collecting Shakespeare: The Story of Henry and Emily Folger by Stephen Grant was published. He was at the Athenæum in 2015 and his talk is available here.

Hannah Ovaska
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
(Library of Congress PZ3.C4637 An​)

Are you looking for a thrill this summer? If so, Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is the perfect mystery to dive into after the sun goes down. Follow ten characters, trapped on an abandoned island, to discover what lurks in their pasts and if they will live to see the next day. Published in 1939, this best-selling novel remains timeless, spooky, and a true nail-biter for a reason.

Makesha Uditnarain

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley

(Library of Congress  PZ4.R87947 Li 2016)

For all dog owners (as many of our members are) and animal lovers: this is the book for you! Lily is an aging 12-year-old dachshund loved by her owner Ted, a struggling writer who spends his time being a worrywart. Both are confronted by an enemy, the Octopus, which in turns becomes a metaphor for something greater. Rowley does an amazing job describing the love of a dog, and engaging the reader emotionally. The dialogue between Lily and Ted is eccentric, relatable and comedic. Rowley leaves you with lessons and the biggest one of all is fighting for the ones you love. Caution—you might shed a tear or two!

Mary Warnement

Open City by Teju Cole​

(Library of Congress PZ4.C68958 Op 2011)

This is a bookish book, my favorite kind. I took this on a trip to New York City, because I am the sort of reader who likes to pair reading materials with destinations. This novel features a medical resident, an immigrant from Nigeria who wanders the city, meeting friends and strangers and musing about books, art, music, and life in general. I expected the climax to center on his own, fractured relationship with his mother and his desire to reconnect with his grandmother; however, the author caught me by surprise with a revelation that made me turn back the page to reread and make sure I had not missed something. I was confused and questioned what had been my sympathetic sense of the main character. I remain uneasy, no doubt the authorial intent. The book stayed with me. It is about NYC and so much more. My only previous encounter with Teju Cole was his non-fiction essay, “Water has no Enemy” in Granta 124. Cole writes beautifully, and I will read his other novel.

Here is New York by E.B. White
(Cutter Classification VE3 .W583 .h)

I chose E.B. White’s 1948 essay as my post-trip reading, a way to ease back into my routine after a relaxing vacation. White’s description is shorter but offers an interesting comparison to Cole’s more expansive novel. His clever turns of phrases please me, as he turns his observant self to the city around him, to consider other New Yorkers’ “emanations from without” (11). He says he’s not bringing NYC “down to date…” because that is the “reader’s duty” (6). He also claims “New York blends the gift of privacy with the excitement of participation” (13). Those who have been to NYC once or who’ve lived there a lifetime could enjoy agreeing or arguing with him. He was thinking of nuclear war, I suspect—or even conventional warfare—when he wrote his ending: “The subtlest change in New York is something people don’t speak much about but that is in everyone’s mind. The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions” (51). Of course he did not have a premonition; he was speaking of his own time. The destruction he imagined resulted from technology and human actions similar to what we saw befall NYC in 2001. His words seemed shocking at first to me, but I realized, soon enough, that humanity has behaved similarly—at its best and at its worst—throughout recorded history. Our own age has no special claim; recognizing that could help us behave better, I think. So I read and recommend you do too.

05.30.2017

Architecture

Picture Books

Building Our House by Jonathan Bean

(Children Picture Book Lg BEAN)

A young girl narrates her family’s move from the city to the country, where they have bought a piece of land and live in a trailer while they build a house from the ground up, with help from relatives and friends.

Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty; illustrated by David Roberts

(Children Picture Book + BEATY)

Ever since he was a baby, Iggy Peck has built towers, bridges, and buildings, which comes in handy when his second grade class is stranded on an island during a picnic.

Arches to Zigzags: An Architecture ABC by Michael J. Crosbie; photography by Steve and Kit Rosenthal

(Children Picture Book + CROSB)

A rhyming alphabet of architectural elements, from arches and doors to I-beams, mantels, and urns.

Henry Builds a Cabin by D.B. Johnson

(Children Picture Book JOHNS)

Young Henry Thoreau appears frugal to his friends as he sets about building a cabin. Includes biographical information about Thoreau.

What’s Inside? Fascinating Structures Around the World by Giles Laroche

(Children Picture Book + LAROC)

An introduction to architectural structures and the stories behind their creation.

Informational Books

Julia Morgan: Architect of Dreams by Ginger Wadsworth

(Children CT225.M67 W32 1990)

Recounts the life of the architect whose projects included designing the Hearst Castle at San Simeon, California.

Spiderwebs to Sky-scrapers: The Science of Structures by David Darling

(Children TA634 .D37 1991)

Hands-on experiments introduce natural and manmade structures such as a bird’s nest and skyscraper and such structural elements as arches, domes, trusses, and beams.

Building: The Fight Against Gravity by Mario Salvadori

(Children TA634 .S24 1979)

An introduction to the basic principles of architecture and engineering including a discussion of structural materials and their properties and such problems as how skyscrapers are kept from swaying excessively and buildings prevented from sinking into the ground.

Castle by Christopher Gravett; photography by Geoff Dan

(Children + GT3520 .G738 2000)

A look at these fascinating structures through full-color photos.

Castle by Richard Pratt; illustrated by Stephen Biesty

(Children Lg GT3550 .B54 1994)

Detailed cross-sections allow readers to explore how people lived and defended themselves in medieval castles.

Great Building Stories of the Past by Peter Kent

(Children Lg NA2555 .K46 2001)

Explains the stories and principles behind some the world’s greatest structures, including the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Building Big by David Macauly

(Children + NA2555 .M24 2000)

“Why this shape and not that? Why steel instead of concrete or stone? Why put it here and not over there? These are the kinds of questions that David Macaulay asks himself when he observes an architectural wonder. These questions take him back to the basic process of design from which all structures begin, from the realization of a need for the structure to the struggles of the engineers and designers to map out and create the final construction. As only he can, David Macaulay engages readers’ imaginations and gets them thinking about structures they see and use every day—bridges, tunnels, skyscrapers, domes, and dams. In Building Big he focuses on the connections between the planning and design problems and the solutions that are finally reached. Whether a structure is imposing or inspiring, he shows us that common sense and logic play just as important a part in architecture as imagination and technology do. As always, Macaulay inspires readers of all ages to look at their world in a new way.” — Provided by publisher.

Mosque by David Macaulay

(Children Lg NA4670 .M33 2003)

An author and artist who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern people, David Macaulay here reveals the methods and materials used to design and construct a mosque in late-sixteenth-century Turkey. Through the fictional story and Macaulay’s distinctive full-color illustrations, readers will learn not only how such monumental structures were built but also how they functioned in relation to the society they served.

Cathedral by David Macaulay

(Children Lg NA4830 .M32)

Text and detailed drawings follow the planning and construction of a magnificent Gothic cathedral in the imaginary French town of Chutreaux during the thirteenth century.

City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by David Macaulay

(Children Lg TA16 .M33)

Text and black and white illustrations show how the Romans planned and constructed their cities for the people who lived within them.

The Story of Buildings by Patrick Dillon; illustrated by Stephen Biesty

(Children + TA149 .D54 2014)

Examines how architecture has evolved over time by looking at buildings that typify each period, from the pyramids and the Parthenon to the Chrysler Building and the Sydney Opera House.

Building by Philip Wilkinson

(Children + TA634 .W54 2000)

Take a tour of world architecture from the slender minarets of Turkish mosques to the earthquake-resistant skyscrapers of Tokyo.

Underground by David Macaulay

(Children + TD159.3 .M3)

Text and drawings describe the subways, sewers, building foundations, telephone and power systems, columns, cables, pipes, tunnels, and other underground elements of a large modern city.

Bridges: From My Side to Yours by Jan Adkins

(Children + TG148 .A35 2002)

A look at bridges throughout history, from simple arrangements of stepping stones, to famous landmarks such as London Bridge, to marvels of engineering such as New York’s Brooklyn Bridge.

Unbuilding by David Macaulay

(Children Lg TH153 .M23)

This fictional account of the dismantling and removal of the Empire State Building describes the structure of a skyscraper and explains how such an edifice would be demolished.

Mill by David Macaulay

(Children Lg TS1324.R4 M33 1983)

The mills at Wicksbridge are imaginary, but their planning, construction, and operation are quite typical of mills developed in New England throughout the nineteenth century.

Castle by David Macaulay

(Children Lg UG405 .M18)

Text and detailed drawings follow the planning and construction of a “typical” castle and adjoining town in thirteenth-century Wales.

04.20.2017

Ocean

Picture Books

The Serpent Came to Gloucester by M.T. Anderson; illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

(Children Picture Book Lg ANDER)

Rhyming text tells of a sea serpent that plays off the coast of Massachusetts the summer of 1817, and is hunted upon its return the next year. Includes a page of facts upon which the story is based.

The Merbaby by Teresa Bateman

(Children Picture Book BATEM)

When he and his brother Josh find a mer-baby caught in their fishing net, Tarron, rejecting his brother’s plan to sell the baby and make a profit, discovers that there are greater treasures than gold.

Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea by Chris Butterworth; illustrated by John Lawrence

(Children Picture Book BUTTE)

An informative overview that’s also a great read aloud, with colorful hand-printed illustrations.

The Mermaid and the Shoe by K.G. Campbell

(Children Picture Book + CAMPB)

Each of King Neptune’s 50 mermaid daughters boasts a special talent, except for little Minnow, who seems to be good only at asking questions. When she finds a strange object, Minnow follows her questions to a wondrous place and finds answers, including the answer to the most important question of all: Who am I? A gorgeously illustrated story about finding one’s purpose.

10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle

(Children Picture Book Lg CARLE)

When a storm strikes a cargo ship, ten rubber ducks are tossed overboard and swept off in ten different directions. Based on a factual incident.

Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle

(Children Picture Book Lg CARLE)

After Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs on Mr. Seahorse’s belly, he drifts through the water, greeting other fish fathers who are taking care of their eggs.

Hooray for Fish! by Lucy Cousins

(Children Picture Book Lg COUSI)

Little Fish has all sorts of fishy friends in his underwater home, but loves one of them most of all.

Big Blue Whale by Nicola Davies ; illustrated by Nick Maland

(Children Picture Book + DAVIE)

Examines the physical characteristics, habits, and habitats of the blue whale.

Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davis; illustrated by James Croft

(Children Picture Book + DAVIE)

Introduces many different species of sharks, pointing out such characteristics as the small size of the dwarf lantern shark and the physical characteristics and behavior that makes sharks killing machines.

Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies

(Children Picture Book LIES)

On a night when the moon can grow no fatter, bats pack their moon-tan lotion and baskets of treats and fly off for some fun on the beach.

If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano; illustrated by Erin Stead

(Children Picture Book FOGLI)

Advises the reader about what to do, and not do, in order to successfully spot a whale, such as wrapping up in a not-too-cozy blanket, ignoring the roses, and especially, being patient.

Wave by Suzy Lee

(Children Picture Book LEE)

A wordless picture book that shows a little girl’s first experiences at the beach, as she goes from being afraid of the roaring waves to playing on the shore while gulls soar overhead.

All You Need for a Beach by Alice Schertle; illustrated by Barbara Lavallee

(Children Picture Book + SCHER)

Rhyming text describes items essential for fun at the beach, from the first grain of sand, to a beach umbrella, to a bucket and shovel, to the waves rolling in to tickle your toes.

Flotsam by David Wiesner

(Children Picture Book WIESN)

The story of what happens when a camera becomes a piece of flotsam.

Beginning Readers

Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea by Cynthia Rylant

(Children Picture Book RYLAN)

Follows the seaside adventures of Henry, Henry’s father, and Henry’s big dog, Mudge.

Middle Grade

The Clambake Mutiny by Jerome Beatty, Jr.; illustrated by Tomi Ungerer

(Children PZ7.B380542 Cl)

When his uncle is caught in a trap and taken out of the ocean, a young lobster decides to get in the next trap and see what happens to caught lobsters. Together they lead a mutiny at a clambake.

The Sea Egg by L.M. Boston

(Children PZ7.B6497 Se 1967)

A sea triton hatches from a special egg-shaped stone, to both the expectation and amazement of two little English school boys on holiday at the coast.

Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman

(Children PZ7.H6533 Aq 2001)

A love-struck mermaid named Aquamarine supplies adventure and insights to two twelve-year-old girls, life-long friends who are spending their last summer together before one of them moves away.

Dear Dolphin by Herbert A. Kenny

(Children PZ7.K3958 De)

A girl searching for the Lost Atlantis is accompanied by a witty dolphin who introduces her to the sea creatures.

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

(Children PZ7.K4842 Tai 2004)

After finally convincing her mother that she should take swimming lessons, twelve-year-old Emily discovers a terrible and wonderful secret about herself that opens up a whole new world.

Informational Books

Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion by Griffin Burns

(Children GC232 .B87 2007)

Describes the work of a man who tracks trash as it travels great distances by way of ocean currents.

The Burgess Seashore Book for Children by Thornton W. Burgess

(Children QH91 .B8)

An entertaining tale describing the Atlantic Coast and the seashore’s natural history.

Fossil Fish Found Alive:Discovering the Coelacanth by Sally M. Walker

(Children QL638.L26 W36 2002)

Describes the 1938 discovery of the coelacanth, a fish previously believed to be extinct, and subsequent research about it.

Eight Dolphins of Katrina: A True Tale of Survival by Janet Wyman Coleman; illustrated by Yan Nascimbene

(Children QL737.C432 C563 2013)

Recounts the true story of eight bottlenose dolphins and their trainers who survived the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Shark by Miranda MacQuitty

(Children + QL795.S46 M78 2000)

Describes, in text and photographs, the physical characteristics, behavior, and life cycle of various types of sharks.

03.30.2017

Gardens

Picture Books

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris van Allsburg

(Children + PZ7.V266 Gar)

When the dog he is caring for runs away from Alan into the forbidden garden of a retired dog-hating magician, a spell seems to be cast over the contrary dog.

The Pea Blossom by Amy Lowry Poole

(Children + PZ8.P795 Pe 2005)

In a garden near Beijing, five peas in a shell grow and wait to discover what fate has in store for them.

The Turnip by Jan Brett

(Children Picture Book + BRETT)

Badger Girl is delighted to find the biggest turnip she has ever seen growing in her vegetable garden, but when the time comes to harvest the giant root, she is unable to pull it up without help from family and friends.

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting

(Children Picture Book BUNTI)

Helped by her father, a young girl prepares a flower garden as a birthday surprise for her mother.

The Night Gardener by The Fan Brothers

(Children Picture Book Lg FAN)

“One day, William discovers that the tree outside his window has been sculpted into a wise owl. In the following days, more topiaries appear, and each one is more beautiful than the last. Soon, William’s gray little town is full of color and life. And though the mysterious night gardener disappears as suddenly as he appeared, William—and his town—are changed forever.” — Provided by publisher.

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming; illustrated by G. Brian Karas

(Children Picture Book + FLEMI)

After planting the garden he has dreamed of for years, Mr. McGreely tries to find a way to keep some persistent bunnies from eating all his vegetables.

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano; illustrated by Erin Stead

(Children Picture Book + FOGLI)

Simple text reveals the anticipation of a boy who, having planted seeds while everything around is brown, fears that something has gone wrong until, at last, the world turns green.

Round the Garden by Omri Glaser; illustrated by Byron Glaser

(Children Picture Book GLAS)

Traces the journey of a tear as it falls to the ground, evaporates, reappears as rain, and waters a garden to make an onion grow to produce more tears.

Flora’s Surprise by Deb Gliori

(Children Picture Book + GLIOR)

Flora, a young rabbit, tries to grow a house by planting a brick.

My Garden by Kevin Henkes

(Children Picture Book + HENKE)

After helping her mother weed, water, and chase the rabbits from their garden, a young girl imagines her dream garden complete with jellybean bushes, chocolate rabbits, and tomatoes the size of beach balls.

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss; illustrated by Crockett Johnson

(Children Picture Book KRAUS)

Despite everyone’s dire predictions, a little boy has faith in the carrot he plants.

The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen; illustrated by Irene Luxbacher

(Children Picture Book LARSE)

In an apartment too small for a garden to grow, Theo and her grandfather paint one instead.

The Greenling by Levi Pinfold

(Children Picture Book + PINFO)

Mr. Barleycorn picks a green baby growing on his land, unleashing the incredible power of nature. When zucchinis flower in the kitchen and carrots sprout out of their television, Mr. Barleycorn’s wife insists that the Greenling has to go. But the bounty and beauty of nature have a strange power—the power to bring a whole community together.

Fox’s Garden by Princesse Camcam

(Children Picture Book PRINC)

“One snowy night, a fox loses its way, entering a village. Chased away by the grown ups, Fox takes shelter in a greenhouse. A little boy sees this from his window. Without hesitating, he brings a basket of food to the greenhouse, where he leaves it for the fox. His gift is noticed and the night becomes a garden of new life, nourished by compassion and kindness. Princesse Camcam’s cut-paper illustrations, along with the beautiful lighting of the sets she creates, make the experience of looking at these illustrations both touching and transcendent. Their beauty and essential simplicity reflect the beauty of the story. The reader is left charmed by the fox and the child and thoughtful about the emotional lives of both humans and other creatures.” — Provided by publisher.

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

(Children Picture Book SMITH)

A child explores the ordinary life of his extraordinary great-grandfather, as expressed in his topiary garden.

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

(Children Picture Book + STEWA)

A series of letters relating what happens when, after her father loses his job, Lydia Grace goes to live with her Uncle Jim in the city but takes her love for gardening with her.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington

(Children Picture Book TITHE)

Jamie plants a pumpkin seed and, after watching it grow, carves it, and saves some seeds to plant in the spring.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

(Children PZ10.3.P47 Tap 27)

A mischievous rabbit encounters trouble in a farmer’s garden.

Beginning Readers

Biscuit in the Garden by Alyssa Satin Capucilli; illustrated by Pat Schories

Children Picture Book CAPUC

Biscuit the puppy is eager to see the plants and make friends with the animals in the garden.

Chapter Books

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

(Children PZ7.A931 Ni 2014)

Irish orphans Molly, fourteen, and Kip, ten, travel to England to work as servants in a crumbling manor house where nothing is quite what it seems to be, and soon the siblings are confronted by a mysterious stranger and secrets of the cursed house.

Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christina Björk; illustrated by Lena Anderson

(Children PZ7.B52855 Lin 1987)

A young girl learns about Monet and Impressionist art through a trip to Paris.

The Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston

(Children PZ7.B6497 Ch)

Ghostly children haunt a manor in an overgrown garden in the English countryside.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett; pictures by Tasha Tudor

(Children PZ7.B934 Se)

When bratty orphan Mary Lennox arrives at her uncle’s English manor, she and her sickly cousin Colin undergo change for the better through restoring an abandoned garden.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischma ; illustrations by Judy Pederson

(Children PZ7.F5991 Se 1997)

One by one, a number of people of varying ages and backgrounds transform a trash-filled inner-city lot into a productive and beautiful garden, and in doing so, the gardeners are themselves transformed.

Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Peace

(Children PZ7.P3145 To)

Quarantined in his aunt and uncle’s home, part of what was once a country house, Tom slips back in time and finds a friend.

Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane by P.L. Travers

(Children PZ7.T689 Masn 1982)

Mary Poppins takes her charges to the Herb Garden in a park in London for a night of magic on Midsummer’s Eve.

The Dog in the Tapestry Garden by Dorothy Pulis Lathrop

(Children PZ8.L348 Do)

A lonely greyhound jumps into the old tapestry hanging on the wall to play with a little white dog woven into its garden.

Informational

Wings, Worms, and Wonder: A Guide for Creatively Integrating Gardening and Outdoor Learning into Children’s Lives by Kelly Johnson

(Children + SB324 .J64 2012)

So you have a garden, but now what do you do with it? Peppered with anecdotes and friendly advice, while based in research and experience, Wings, Worms, and Wonder answers this question. Above and beyond gardening guidance on topics such as composting and organic pest control, it gives adults the tools to reconnect themselves and the children in their lives to the natural world through holistic gardening experiences. It will ignite your confidence to create outdoor learning experiences that nurture both wonder and ecological literacy. Overflowing with tips for successfully gardening with children in school and community settings, as well as including 36 child tested lesson plans, you’ll find everything you need to seamlessly integrate gardening into both elementary curricula and daily life. Rooted in scientific and arts based Nature-Study and progressive education models, this guide is invaluable for anyone wanting to grow a thriving children’s gardening program. This book will inspire and equip you to sprout a happier, healthier generation of children! — Provided by publisher.

03.20.2017

Staff Book Suggestions Spring 2017

Pat Boulos

Norwegian By Night by Derek B. Miller
(Library of Congress Classification PZ4.M645 Nor 2013​)

Best New Crime Writer of the Year: Winner of the CWA 2013 John Creasey Dagger Award
Best of 2013, The Guardian
Best of 2013, Financial Times
Best of 2013, The Economist

David Dearinger

The Go-Between​ by L. P. Hartley​
(Library of Congress Classification PZ3.H2537 Go)​​

Remember the movie starring Julie Christie and Alan Bates with a screenplay by Harold Pinter (If you do, you’re dating yourself)? If you haven’t read the book on which the movie was based—or haven’t read it in a long time and/or as an adult—you should do so. Hartley captures the innocence (and loss) of youth in beautifully constructed prose and by means of a narrative that is captivating and, from that first, famous sentence to the last page, ultimately haunting. No wonder this book, which has never been out of print, was a huge bestseller when it first came out in 1953 and again with the release of that critically acclaimed movie in 1971. Pick it up, and you won’t be able to put it down (at least emotionally) until you have finished it. Currently available in a beautifully produced paperback edition published by the New York Review of Books or, of course, at the Athenæum.

Andria Lauria
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
(Library of Congress  PZ4.F444 Ey 2002​)

Book one of the seven part (so far) Thursday Next series. Did you enjoy the style of this Author of the Month? Then I highly recommend joining protagonist Thursday Next on her often hilariously absurd ride as a literary detective. It is a wild mystery caper that primarily takes place in an alternative 1980s in which literature reigns supreme. Time-traveling is the norm, many members of society are named after famous writers (oftentimes requiring a number be tacked on one’s name, e.g. John Milton 137), some citizens belong to sects hellbent on destroying storylines from within or proving conspiratorial literary ideas (including an entire group that travels door-to-door attempting to convert people into believing that Shakespeare did not write his plays), and extinct animals have been brought back as pets! I laughed out loud at least once every few chapters. Highly enjoyable and I’m thrilled I don’t have to hunt for a new book for at least six more books from now.

Judith Maas
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg​
(Library of Congress  CT275.P47 B47​)

When Max Perkins joined Scribner’s in 1910, the company limited itself to publishing well-established authors and sending manuscripts off to the printers with little or no editing. The atmosphere in the office was genteel and a bit musty—“Dickensian,” says Berg. In the years that followed, Perkins remade Scribner’s and redefined the role of editor. He sought out promising new novelists and guided them with infinite patience, insight, and generosity. F. Scott Fitzgerald called him “my most loyal and confident encourager and friend.”

Perkins’s efforts helped usher in modern American literature. He suggested how Fitzgerald could make Jay Gatsby a more vivid character; he persuaded a reluctant Charles Scribner to publish Hemingway’s Sun Also Rises; and he spent countless hours with Thomas Wolfe transforming mountains of manuscript pages into Look Homeward Angel and Of Time and the River. Describing these collaborations, Berg explores both their professional and personal sides. He succeeds in making a book about a quiet, modest man who spent most of his life hard at work in the office an enthralling read.

Elizabeth McCullough
A Life In Parts by Bryan Cranston
(Library of Congress NEW  CT275.C735 A3 2016)

A Life In Parts is a breezy read with serious undertones. Cranston hasn’t had an easy life, but it’s all grist for his work as an actor in such parts as Walter White (Breaking Bad) and LBJ (All the Way). Highly recommended, especially if you’re a fan.

Kaelin Rasmussen
Time Travel: A History by James Gleick
(Library of Congress NEW QC173.59.S65 G54 2016​)

I really enjoyed this book—to me, it read like a perfect blend of literary criticism, cultural history, and popular science. And the discussion of the real life scientific concepts was well written and accessible to one such as me who has always been rather afraid of math! Description: Gleick’s story begins at the turn of the twentieth century with the young H.G. Wells writing and rewriting the fantastic tale that became his first book, an international sensation, The Time Machine.  A host of forces were converging to transmute the human understanding of time, some philosophical and some technological—the electric telegraph, the steam railroad, the discovery of buried civilizations, and the perfection of clocks. Gleick tracks the evolution of time travel as an idea in the culture—from Marcel Proust to Doctor Who, from Woody Allen to Jorge Luis Borges. He explores the inevitable looping paradoxes and examines the porous boundary between pulp fiction and modern physics. Finally, he delves into a temporal shift that is unsettling our own moment: the instantaneous wired world, with its all-consuming present and vanishing future.

The Three-Body Trilogy by Cixin Liu

The Three-Body Problem translated by Ken Liu
(Library of Congress PZ4.L735 Th 2014​)

The Dark Forest translated by Joel Martinsen
(Library of Congress NEW PZ4.L735 Da 2015​)

Death’s End translated by Ken Liu
(Library of Congress NEW PZ4.L735 De 2016​)

This massive trilogy was written by Cixin Liu, one of China’s most popular science fiction writers. It’s easy to see why, now he’s one of my favorites, too. The English translation of the first book, The Three-Body Problem, debuted to rave reviews (even in the New Yorker), and won the Hugo Award in 2015. All this to say—it’s excellent! One sprawling work in three parts, this trilogy begins against the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution in China, and revolves around the story of one traumatized young scientist and the impact that the decisions of one person can have on the course of human history in its very largest sense. It’s a story of first contact, about humanity’s reaction to the fact that we’re not alone in the universe. It begins a bit slowly, with what seems to be very elaborate stage dressing, but it builds momentum as it goes along, every detail is significant, and plot twists and revelations hit with a bang. Fans of vintage Golden Age science fiction (Asimov, Clarke, et al.) will revel in this superbly written, thought-provoking epic!!

Casey Riley

The Civil Wars of Julia Ward Howe by Elaine Showalter

(Library of Congress CT275.H69 .S56 2016)

A terrific biography—comprehensively researched, well-paced, insightful. Showalter largely avoids speculation with regard to her subject’s motivations, drawing instead upon Howe’s own writing—both published and private—to illuminate her ambitions and frustrations. In Showalter’s account, Howe’s accomplishments in writing, public speaking, and political organizing are all the more remarkable given the state of her marriage to Samuel Gridley Howe, who was by turns a jealous, manipulative, and abusive partner. After the [merciful? timely?] death of her husband in 1876, JWH devoted herself to a number of causes related to women’s rights, thereby distinguishing herself as a leader and ensuring her status as an icon of late nineteenth century feminism. Showalter’s account is a sympathetic but clear-eyed review of JWH’s accomplishments and character, and as such is an enriching, engrossing read.

Mary Warnement

Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts by Christopher De Hamel

(Library of Congress NEW Z106.5.E85 D44 2016)

If you enjoy medieval history and book history, then you want to check this hefty volume out.

This book is a commitment; it has over 600 pages, including endnotes, and those notes, in spite of their tiny font, are well worth reading. They point to fascinating classics, obscure articles, and academic in-fighting; not that De Hamel shies from that in his text. He is particularly scathing in his descriptions of the use of white gloves in rare book reading rooms. As a librarian myself, I felt for my counterparts. I understand their perspective, although I know that white gloves are not necessary. In all fairness, he is studying nine treasures; the white glove treatment may have been special for him. Though he has an Oxbridge pedigree, a long tenure at Sotheby’s, and a well-known reputation, he is an enthusiast and encourages all his readers to visit rare book rooms to study the originals. He goes even farther and tells general readers that the small group of specialists in medieval manuscripts is welcoming and would enjoy engagement. I am curious to know if he is correct, so start reading and get out there to find this community of scholars. You may want to wait until this book is no longer new, but you can always contact the Circulation Desk and request renewals. We are a welcoming bunch too.

03.02.2017

Immigrants and Refugees

Picture Books

Watch the Stars Come Out by Riki Levinson; illustrated by Diane Goode

(Children + PZ7 .L5796 Wat 1985)

Grandma tells about her mama’s journey to America by boat, years ago.

Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say

(Children + PZ7 .S2744 Gr 1993)

A Japanese American man recounts his grandfather’s journey to America which he later also undertakes, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries.

Tea with Milk by Allen Say

(Children + PZ7 .S2744 Te 1999)

After growing up near San Francisco, a young Japanese woman returns with her parents to their native Japan, but she feels foreign and out of place.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

(Children Lg PZ7 .T16123 Ar 2006)

In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must build a new life for himself and his family.

Somos Como Las Nubes = We Are Like the Clouds by Jorge Argueta; pictures by Alfonso Ruano; translated by Elisa Amado

(Children Picture Book ARGUE)

Why are young people leaving their country to walk to the United States to seek a new, safe home? Over 100,000 such children have left Central America. This book of poetry helps us to understand why and what it is like to be them. ¿Por qué los jóvenes que salen de su país para caminar a los Estados Unidos para buscar un hogar nuevo y seguro? Más de 100.000 niños han salido de Centroamérica. Este libro de poesía nos ayuda a entender por qué y cómo es ser ellos.

Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago; pictures by Rafael Yockteng; translated by Elisa Amado

(Children Picture Book BUITR)

“In this moving and timely story, a young child describes what it is like to be a migrant as she and her father travel north toward the US border. They travel mostly on the roof of a train known as The Beast, but the little girl doesn’t know where they are going. She counts the animals by the road, the clouds in the sky, the stars. Sometimes she sees soldiers. She sleeps, dreaming that she is always on the move, although sometimes they are forced to stop and her father has to earn more money before they can continue their journey. As many thousands of people, especially children, in Mexico and Central America continue to make the arduous journey to the US border in search of a better life, this is an important book that shows a young migrant’s perspective.”—Provided by publisher.

The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman; illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

(Children Picture Book + FLEIS)

Follow a girl’s perusal of her great-grandfather’s collection of matchboxes and small curios that document his poignant immigration journey from Italy to a new country.

Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora; illustrated by Raúl Colón

(Children Picture Book + MORA)

While helping his family in their work as migrant laborers far from their home, Tomás finds an entire world to explore in the books at the local public library.

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey by Margriet Ruurs; artwork by Nizar Ali Badr; translation into Arabic by Falah Raheem

(Children Picture Book RUURS)

“This unique picture book was inspired by the stone artwork of Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr, discovered by chance by Canadian children’s writer Margriet Ruurs. The author was immediately impressed by the strong narrative quality of Mr. Badr’s work, and, using many of Mr. Badr’s already-created pieces, she set out to create a story about the Syrian refugee crisis. Stepping Stones tells the story of Rama and her family, who are forced to flee their once-peaceful village to escape the ravages of the civil war raging ever closer to their home. With only what they can carry on their backs, Rama and her mother, father, grandfather and brother, Sami, set out to walk to freedom in Europe. Nizar Ali Badr’s stunning stone images illustrate the story.”—Provided by publisher.

The Journey by Francesca Sanna

(Children Picture Book SANNA)

What is it like to have to leave everything behind and travel many miles to somewhere unfamiliar and strange? A mother and her two children set out on such a journey; one filled with fear of the unknown, but also great hope. Based on the author’s interactions with people forced to seek a new home, and told from the perspective of a young child.

The Quiet Place by Sarah Stewart; illustrated by David Small

(Children Picture Book + STEWA)

A little girl moves to the United States from Mexico with her family and writes letters to her aunt in Mexico about her new life.

A Piece of Home by Jerri Watts; illustrated by Hyewon Yum

(Children Picture Book + WATTS)

When Hee Jun’s family moves from Korea to West Virginia he struggles to adjust to his new home. He can’t understand anything the teacher says, and even the sky seems smaller and darker. Hee Jun begins to learn English words and make friends on the playground. One day at a classmate’s house he sees a flower he knows from his garden in Korea: mugunghwa, or rose of Sharon. Hee Jun is happy to bring a shoot to his grandmother to plant a “piece of home” in their new garden.

Yoko Learns to Read by Rosemary Wells

(Children Picture Book WELLS)

Despite the doubts of some classmates and her native-born Japanese mother’s inability to read English, Yoko finds the key to reading and catches up with the other students in putting new leaves on the classroom’s book tree.

Chapter Books

The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiminez

(Children PS3560 .I55 C57 1997)

An autobiographical novel based in part on the author’s journey from Mexico to the US.

I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosín; translated from the Spanish by E.M. O’Connor; illustrated by Lee White

(Children PZ7 .A2686 Iah 2014)

When her beloved country, Chile, is taken over by a militaristic, sadistic government, Celeste is sent to America for her safety and her parents must go into hiding before they “disappear.”

Echoes of the White Giraffe by Sook Nyul Choi

(Children PZ7 .C44626 Ec 1993)

Fifteen-year-old Sookan, the heroine of Year of Impossible Goodbyes, adjusts to life in the refugee village in Pusan, a city in a southern province of Korea. The Korean War is raging, and Sookan has again been separated from her father and older brothers. She continues to hope that the civil war will end and her family will be reunited in Seoul. Her immediate concerns, though, are those of any teenage girl: friendships, studies, and most of all, a first romance.

Wild Girl by Patricia Reilly Giff

(Children PZ7 .G3626 Wh 2009)

When twelve-year-old Lidie leaves Brazil to join her father and brother on a horse ranch in New York, she has a hard time adjusting to her changed circumstances, as does a new horse that has come to the ranch.

The Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett

(Children PZ7 .H266 Ch 2014)

“Cecily and Jeremy have been sent to live with their uncle Peregrine in the English countryside, safe from the war, along with a young refugee named May. But when Cecily and May find two mysterious boys hiding in the ruins of a nearby castle, an extraordinary adventure begins.”—Provided by publisher.

The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett

(Children PZ7 .H266 Mid 2011)

Twelve-year-old Andrej, nine-year-old Tomas, and their baby sister Wilma flee their Romany encampment when it is attacked by Germans during World War II, and in an abandoned town they find a zoo where the animals tell their stories, helping the children understand what has become of their lives and what it means to be free.

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord

(Children PZ7 .L87734 Ha 2015)

When her blind dog slips his collar, twelve-year old Lily meets Salma Santiago, a young Hispanic girl whose migrant family is in Maine for the blueberry-picking season, and, based partly on their mutual love of dogs, the two forge a friendship while painting bee boxes for Lily’s grandfather—but as the Blueberry Queen pageant approaches Lily and Selma are confronted with some of the hard truths of prejudice and migrant life.

Shadow by Michael Morpugo

(Children PZ7 .M82712 Sh 2012)

Teenager Aman and his mother lose their loyal spaniel Shadow while escaping Afghanistan to flee to England. Now they must depend on a friend and his grandfather to enable Shadow’s return.

West of the Moon by Margi Preus

(Children PZ7 .P9271 We 2014)

In nineteenth-century Norway, fourteen-year-old Astri, whose aunt has sold her to a mean goatherder, dreams of joining her father in America.

My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve ; translated by Tammi Reichel

(Children PZ7 .V944 My 2012)

Before the start of World War II, ten-year-old Ziska Mangold, who has Jewish ancestors but has been raised as a Protestant, is taken out of Nazi Germany on one of the Kindertransport trains, to live in London with a Jewish family, where she learns about Judaism and endures the hardships of war while attempting to keep in touch with her parents, who are trying to survive in Holland.

Young Adult

A Step from Heaven by An Na

(Young Adult PZ7 .N14 St 2001)

A young Korean girl and her family find it difficult to learn English and adjust to life in America.

The Other Side of Truth by Beverly Naidoo

(Young Adult PZ7 .N1455 Ot 2001)

Smuggled out of Nigeria after their mother’s murder, Sade and her younger brother are abandoned in London when their uncle fails to meet them at the airport and they are fearful of their new surroundings and of what may have happened to their journalist father back in Nigeria.

Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye

(Young Adult PZ7 .N976 Hab 1997)

When fourteen-year-old Liyanne Abboud, her younger brother, and her parents move from St. Louis to a new home between Jerusalem and the Palestinian village where her father was born, they face many changes and must deal with the tensions between Jews and Palestinians.

Salt to the Sea: A Novel by Ruta Sepetys

(Young Adult PZ7 .S47957 Sa 2016)

“World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom. When their paths converge in route to the ship that promises salvation, Joana, Emilia, and Florian find their strength, courage, and trust in one another tested with each step closer toward safety. When tragedy strikes the Wilhelm Gustloff, they must fight for the same thing: survival.”—Provided by publisher.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

(Young Adult PZ7 .Y79 Su 2016)

“Two teens—Daniel, the son of Korean shopkeepers, and Natasha, whose family is here illegally from Jamaica—cross paths in New York City on an eventful day in their lives—Daniel is on his way to an interview with a Yale alum, Natasha is meeting with a lawyer to try and prevent her family’s deportation to Jamaica—and fall in love.”—Provided by publisher.

Informational Texts

Uprooted: The Japanese American Experience During World War II by Albert Marrin

(Children D769.8 .A6 M329 2016)

“Just seventy-five years ago, the American government did something that most would consider unthinkable today: it rounded up over 100,000 of its own citizens based on nothing more than their ancestry and, suspicious of their loyalty, kept them in concentration camps for the better part of four years. How could this have happened? Uprooted takes a close look at the history of racism in America and follows the treacherous path that led one of our nation’s most beloved presidents to make this decision. Meanwhile, it illuminates the history of Japan and its own struggles with racism and xenophobia, which led to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, ultimately tying the two countries together.”—Provided by publisher.

The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden; illustrated by Allan Drummond

(Children + CT275 .R46 B67 2005)

“In 1940, Hans and Margret Rey fled their Paris home as the German army advanced. They began their harrowing journey on bicycles, pedaling to Southern France with children’s book manuscripts among their few possessions.”—Provided by publisher.

This Land is Our Land: A History of American Immigration by Linda Barrett Osborne

(Children + E184 .A1 O83 2016)

“This book explores the way government policy and popular responses to immigrant groups evolved throughout U.S. history and the fundamental ways in which immigration forms an essential part of the American identity. The book also recounts the experiences of three centuries of immigrants in their own words.”—Provided by publisher.

01.27.2017

Black Poetry, Black History

February is Black History Month, but we hope you’ll refer to this list of poetry, verse biographies and histories, and novels in verse all year long.

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Ekua Holmes

(Children + CT275 .H346 W42 2015)

Celebrates the life and legacy of civil rights advocate Fannie Lou Hamer in inspiring words and vibrant artwork.

Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

(Children + F379 .N57 C667 2016)

Six days a week, slaves labor from sunup to sundown and beyond, but on Sunday afternoons, they gather with free blacks at Congo Square outside New Orleans, free from oppression. Includes foreword about Congo Square by Freddi Williams Evans, glossary, and historical notes.

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell; pictures by Christian Robinson

(Children + GV1785 .B3 P68 2014)

A portrait of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who worked her way from the slums of St. Louis to the grandest stages in the world.

I, Too, Sing America: Three Centuries of African American Poetry , selected and annotated by Catherine Clinton; illustrated by Stephen Alcorn

(Children + PS591 .N4 I35 1998)

A collection of poems by African-American writers, including Lucy Terry, Gwendolyn Bennett, and Alice Walker.

Soul Looks Back in Wonder , illustrated by Tom Feelings

(Children PS591 .N4 S58 1994)

Artwork and poems by such writers as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Askia Toure portray the creativity, strength, and beauty of their African American heritage.

Bronzeville Boys and Girls by Gwendolyn Brooks; illustrated by Faith Ringgold

(Children + PS3503 .R7244 B76 2007)

A collection of poems that celebrate the joy, beauty, imagination, and freedom of childhood.

My People by Langston Hughes; photographs by Charles R. Smith Jr.

(Children PS3515 .U274 M9 2009)

Hughes’s spare yet eloquent tribute to his people has been cherished for generations. Now, acclaimed photographer Smith interprets this beloved poem in vivid sepia photographs that capture the glory, the beauty, and the soul of being a black American today.

The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano by Margarita Engle; art by Sean Qualls

(Children PS3555 .N4254 P64 2006)

Juan Francisco Manzano was born in 1797 into the household of wealthy slaveowners in Cuba. He spent his early years at the side of his owner’s wife, entertaining her friends. His poetry was his outlet, reflecting the beauty and cruelty of his world. Written in verse.

Blues Journey by Walter Dean Myers; illustrated by Christopher Myers

(Children PS3563 .Y48 B58 2003)

Harlem by Walter Dean Myers; illustrated by Christopher Myers

(Children Lg PS3563 .Y48 H37 1997)

Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices by Walter Dean Myers

(Children PS3563 .Y48 H47 2004)

Acclaimed writer Walter Dean Myers celebrates the people of Harlem with these powerful and soulful first-person poems in the voices of the residents who make up the legendary neighborhood.

Carver: A Life in Poems by Marilyn Nelson

(Children PS3573 .A4795 C37 2001)

A verse biography of George Washington Carter.

Fortune’s Bones: The Manumission Requiem by Marilyn Nelson

(Children PS3573 .A4795 F64 2004)

Fortune was a slave who lived in Waterbury, Conn., in the late 1700s. He was married and the father of 4 children. When Fortune died in 1798, his master, Dr. Porter, preserved his skeleton to further the study of anatomy. Now the skeleton is in the Mattatuck Museum where it is still being studied.

A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson; illustrated by Phillipe Lardy

(Children PS3573 .A4795 W73 2005)

“In 1955 people all over the United States knew that Emmett Louis Till was a fourteen-year-old African American boy lynched for supposedly whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. The brutality of his murder, the open-casket funeral held by his mother, Mamie Till Mobley, and the acquittal of the men tried for the crime drew wide media attention. In a profound and chilling poem, award-winning poet Marilyn Nelson reminds us of the boy whose fate helped spark the civil rights movement.” — Provided by publisher.

Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

(Children PS3573 .O64524 L63 2003)

In a series of poems, eleven-year-old Lonnie writes about his life, after the death of his parents, separated from his younger sister, living in a foster home, and finding his poetic voice at school.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

(Children PS3573 .O64524 Z46 2014)

“Jacqueline Woodson, one of today’s finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.” — Provided by publisher.

Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxane Orgill; illustrated by Francis Vallejo

(Children + PS3615 .R45 J39 2016)

“When Esquire magazine planned an issue to salute the American jazz scene in 1958, graphic designer Art Kane pitched a crazy idea: how about gathering a group of beloved jazz musicians and photographing them? He didn’t own a good camera, didn’t know if any musicians would show up, and insisted on setting up the shoot in front of a Harlem brownstone. Could he pull it off? In a captivating collection of poems, Roxane Orgill steps into the frame of Harlem 1958, bringing to life the musicians’ mischief and quirks, their memorable style, and the vivacious atmosphere of a Harlem block full of kids on a hot summer’s day. Francis Vallejo’s vibrant, detailed, and wonderfully expressive paintings do loving justice to the larger-than-life quality of jazz musicians of the era.” — Provided by publisher

Booked by Kwame Alexander

(Children PZ7 .A3771 Bo 2016)

“In this middle grade novel-in-verse by the Newbery Medal-winning and Coretta Scott King Honor Award-winning author of The Crossover , soccer, family, love, and friendship, take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams.” — Provided by publisher.

01.05.2017

Trains

Picture Books

Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago; pictures by Rafael Yockteng; translated by Elisa Amado

(Children Picture Book BUITR)

“In this moving and timely story, a young child describes what it is like to be a migrant as she and her father travel north toward the US border. They travel mostly on the roof of a train known as The Beast, but the little girl doesn’t know where they are going. She counts the animals by the road, the clouds in the sky, the stars. Sometimes she sees soldiers. She sleeps, dreaming that she is always on the move, although sometimes they are forced to stop and her father has to earn more money before they can continue their journey. As many thousands of people, especially children, in Mexico and Central America continue to make the arduous journey to the US border in search of a better life, this is an important book that shows a young migrant’s perspective.” — Provided by publisher.

How to Train a Train by Jason Carter Eaton; illustrated by John Rocco

(Children Picture Book Lg EATON)

A whimsical guide to training a “pet train” instructs young enthusiasts about important issues including where trains live, what they like to eat, and how to get them to perform the best train tricks.

Locomotive by Brian Floca

(Children Picture Book Lg FLOCA)

Learn what it was like to travel on the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s.

New Baby Train by Woody Guthrie; illustrated by Marla Frazee

(Children Picture Book +GUTHR)

An illustrated version of the song that answers the question “Where do little babies really come from?”

The Cows Are Going to Paris by David Kirby and Allen Woodman; illustrated by Chris Demarest

(Children Picture Book KIRBY)

One day a herd of cows leaves the pasture and boards the train for Paris. The cows dress up in clothes and royally tour the city before returning home.

The Little Train by Lois Lenski

(Children Picture Book LENSK)

Engineer Small at the throttle takes the little train on its run from Tiny Town to the big city.

A Train Goes Clickety Clack by Jonathan London; illustrated by Denise Roche

(Children Picture Book LONDO)

Easy-to-read, rhyming text describes the sounds of, and uses for, different kinds of trains.

All Aboard the Dinotrain by Deb Lund; Illustrated by Howard Fine

(Children Picture Book + LUND)

When dinosaurs seek adventure by taking a train ride, they find the trip has some unexpected surprises along the way.

Mister Whistler by Margaret Mahy; illustrated by Gavin Bishop

(Children Picture Book + MAHY)

Mister Whistler always has a song in his head and a dance in his legs. But when he has to catch the train, he is so distracted he loses his ticket—and has to dance his way out of his clothes to find it!

The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper; with new art by Loren Long

(Children Picture Book Lg PIPER)

Although she is not very big, the Little Blue Engine agrees to try to pull a stranded train full of toys over the mountain.

Tupelo Rides the Rails by Melissa Sweet

(Children Picture Book SWEET)

After being left by the side of a road with nothing but her favorite sock toy, Tupelo meets a pack of dogs led by Garbage Pail Tex as they are wishing for new homes, then joins them as they catch a passing train and share stories of dog heroes.

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

(Children Picture Book VANAL)

A magical train ride on Christmas Eve takes a boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus.

Can You See What I See? : Toyland Express by Walter Wick

(Children Picture Book + WICK)

In this search-and-find story, children read the simple text and use the picture clues to search twelve photos for 100 hidden objects!

An Outlaw Thanksgiving by Emily Arnold McCully

(Children PZ7.M136 Ou 1998)

While travelling with her mother cross-country by train in 1896, a young girl unexpectedly shares Thanksgiving dinner with the notorious outlaw, Butch Cassidy.

John Henry by Julius Lester; illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

(Children + PZ8.1.L434 Jo 1994)

Retells the life of the legendary African American hero who raced against a steam drill to cut through a mountain.

Beginning Reader

Mr. Putter and Tabby Take the Train by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Arthur Howard

(Children Picture Book RYLAN)

After a small setback, Mr. Putter and his favorite companions enjoy the best train ride of their lives.

Chapter Books

Five Go Off to Camp by Enid Blyton

(Children PZ7.B629 Fgo 2015)

Spook trains in the dead of night. And they seem to vanish into thin air—but where do they go? The Famous Five are on to it. But the discovery of an unusual underground tunnel system and a secret train-service has them puzzled. If they follow the tracks, will they solve the mystery?

The Boundless by Kenneth Opel

(Children PZ7.O614 Bo 2014)

Aboard “The Boundless,” the greatest train ever built, on its maiden voyage across Canada, teenaged Will enlists the aid of a traveling circus to save the train from villains.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

(Children PZ7.S4654 Inv 2007)

When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.

Young Adult

As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins

(Young Adult PZ7.P4313 As 2010)

A teenaged boy encounters one comedic calamity after another when his train strands him in the middle of nowhere, and everything comes down to luck.

Informational Texts

The Train of States by Peter Sis

(Children + E180 .S58 2004)

Gives information about each state, including capital, motto, state tree, state bird, source of name, and date of statehood.

Subway: The Story of Tunnels, Tubes, and Tracks by Larry Dane Brimner; illustrated by Neil Waldman

(Children + TF845 .B685 2004)

Underground railways, or subways, are an engineering marvel. But why were they built? How? Here is a high-speed tour of early subways from London to New York City to answer those questions and more.

Beneath the Streets of Boston: Building America’s First Subway by Joe McKendry

(Children + TF847.B7 M38 2005)

“Beckoning readers to explore the territory beneath Boston’s streets, Joe McKendry explores a century-old world when Beantown designed and created the country’s first subway.” — Provided by publisher.

The Secret Subway by Shana Corey; illustrated by Red Nose Studio

(Children + TF847.N5 C66 2016)

“In 1870, Alfred Ely Beach invents New York’s first underground train.” — Provided by publisher.

We Rode the Orphan Trains by Andrea Warren

(Children HV985 .W39 2001)

“They were ‘throw away’ kids, living in the streets or in orphanages and foster homes. Then Charles Loring Brace, a young minister working with the poor in New York City, started the Children’s Aid Society and devised a plan to give homeless children a chance to find families to call their own. Thus began an extraordinary migration of American children. Between 1854 and 1929, an estimated 200,000 children, mostly from New York and other cities of the eastern United States, ventured forth to other states on a journey of hope.” — Provided by publisher.

Across America on an Emigrant Train by Jim Murphy

(Children PR5495 .M79 1993)

Combines an account of Robert Louis Stevenson’s experiences as he traveled from New York to California by train in 1879 and a description of the building and operation of railroads in nineteenth-century America.