Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

Released May 2008

Recommended for ages 10-14

Trenton Lee Stewart’s second novel about Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance, the four young pals of the Mysterious Benedict Society, was just as fun, exciting, and fast-paced as the first one. Starting “Perilous Journey” was like getting together with old friends; the first book set up the characters so well you felt like you knew them, so it was great fun jumping back into their lives again. Also, having learned Constance’s big secret in the first book, I seemed to love and appreciate her even more this time around. As in the first book, this story takes the Benedict Society on a dangerous adventure, where they follow clues and solve riddles. This time they have to save Mr. Benedict and Number Two from the evil Mr. Curtain. Any reader who loved “The Mysterious Benedict Society” will certainly eat this one up, and those who haven’t read the first novel should rush out and get it before reading this one – this series is not to be missed. There’s a third installment coming this fall.  – Becky Fermanich, Youth Services Librarian

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Release Date: February 10, 2009

In the past week, I’ve read about 15 pages of about 5 different books and set each them aside, not because they are bad, just because they aren’t grabbing my attention right out of the gate. Thank goodness Kathryn Stockett’s debut novel came along to break my quitting streak!

The narration alternates between three characters every few chapters which keeps the story fresh and gives very different impressions of the events. Aibileen was definitely my favorite narrator, then Minny and Skeeter, but I loved the chance to hear directly from each of these three women. And the character of Hilly just captures all that close-minded, power-hungry attitude of the small-town elite. Oh, she’s awful.

Stockett does a great job building up her story of civil rights on the domestic front, introducing the indignities of being household help that were considered common and even necessary to 1960s families in Jackson, Mississippi. This is a pretty big book, around 450 pages, but it’s very well-paced, so events never feel rushed or stretched out.

I’ve heard great things about the audio as well, so if you are an audiobook fan, this might be one to listen to instead of read. — Sara Wedell, Adult Services Librarian

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

Release date: February 24, 2009

Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett was a classic Victorian gentleman explorer. He was built to explore the Amazon – proving immune to malaria and the various other tropical fevers the plague Westerners there. He takes small parties carrying limited equipment, he makes friends with the Indians and he can live off the land. He never says die. He’s awesome.

He’s also, well, a little nuts. Not so much in the beginning, but after WWI, he starts to feel his age a little more, it’s harder to get funding and a millionaire rival begins exploring roughly the same region of the jungle as Fawcett. He becomes more reliant on spiritualism and more obsessed with the idea of proving his theory of Z, an El Dorado-like city deep in the Amazon.

His expeditions, his disappearance and the multitude of failed investigations and missions to find him make for great storytelling. Author Grann does a fine job of combing through his history, connecting with his relatives and parceling out the interesting details throughout the book. I found Grann’s own trip into the Amazon a little unsatisfying – it also attempts to tie up the mystery of Z a little too neatly.

Neat and tidy as it may be, I do like the explanation of Z and the archeological evidence and expertise behind it. It means Fawcett wasn’t going entirely mad when he pored over old legends of El Dorado, but I think it does mean that he never, never would have been able to identify what was left as what he was looking for, either. — Sara Wedell, Adult Services Librarian

Pizza: Grill It, Bake It, Love It!

Released: January 1, 2009

“On a mission to enable pie lovers to make fresh, quality pizza at home, the duo has created 100 recipes ranging from classics like four cheese and sausage and pepper to more inventive concoctions such as one made with squash and chard and another with duck confit. A primer chapter includes easy-to-follow instructions for a variety of doughs, including semolina and gluten-free dough that can be mixed and matched with recipes throughout the book. An eight-step “Road Map for Pizza” is a simple and effective guide to pizza making for all level of cooks. Options for using prepared crusts, as well as those made on pizza stones, baking sheets or the grill, give the home cook a desirable flexibility with crust preparation. Worthy chapters on deep-dish and salad-topped pizzas round out the book.” — Publisher’s Weekly

The Associate by John Grisham

Released January 27, 2009

Perennial bestseller John Grisham is back with a new legal thriller that may remind readers of the author’s early work. Shortly after graduating from Yale Law School, Kyle McAvoy discovers that someone else is aware of a secret in his past.  And that secret is caught on tape.  His blackmailers have a creative demand: that Kyle take a job at a high profile firm in New York City and pass them inside information on crucial trials.

It isn’t long before Kyle is inextricably caught up in his role as a lawyer, an informant and an inexperienced associate desperate to save his future.

Any reader who enjoys cerebral suspense stories should find great satisfaction in Grisham’s latest.  — Sara Wedell, Adult Services Librarian

America America by Ethan Canin

Released: June 24, 2008

“Canin’s new work about class, politics, money, and media in the Nixon era through the present day will resonate powerfully with readers in this presidential election year. Corey Sifter, a working-class boy from a small New York town, is hired by the Metareys, the wealthiest family in Saline, to be a man-of-all-trades. His work ethic endears him to the Metareys, who treat him as one of the family, even paying for his prep school tuition. As both an insider and an outsider, Corey is in a unique position to observe the political maneuverings of Liam Metarey and his campaign to elect Sen. Henry Bonwiller to the presidency. However, Bonwiller’s personal failings ruin not only his political career but also the finances and family life of the Metareys. This saga of politics and family is a superb achievement; Canin (The Palace Thief ) interleaves past and present to create a classical tragedy from the very first page. This engrossing novel would be a good book club selection and is highly recommended.” Library Journal

My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor

Released: May 12, 2008

Jill Bolte Taylor was an accomplished neuroscientist before suffering a stroke in 1996. Her experience as a victim allowed her a unique point of view as a researcher of brain disorders. With time and great dedication, Dr. Bolte Taylor overcame her injury and has used her rare insight to educate people on the complexity of the human brain, the process of recovery after a stroke and an understanding of the mental transcendence available to every human being.