The Family Book: Amazing Things to Do Together
by Michael O'Mara Books
Published 2008 by Scholastic Inc.

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780545057578

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

Fun, informative, and entertaining, this resource contains ideas for amazing ways for families to spend quality time together. From rainy-day activities to fun games to unique arts and crafts, this guide is a guaranteed good time for all. Illustrations.

08/01/2008 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Think of this as a one-stop guide for all types of activities, from practical jokes to magic, and what to do in an emergency. This broad compilation includes enough ideas and directions to keep kids and families occupied and interacting. Pranks like how to short sheet a bed, games, puzzles, advice, and mathematical wonders are all included. Unlikely ideas like how to convince your neighbors that you are royalty or perhaps vampires may not be advisable or even successful, but the idea of play-acting comes across. Green ideas like making toys from junk or creating compost are worthwhile, and safety tips such as how to build a shelter in the forest are more practical than others, such as how to wash a dog in space. Despite the juxtaposition of likely and unlikely activities, there is enough here to keep readers interested. Simple black line drawings clarify the directions and suggest possible reactions. The characterizations result in a 1950s look and feel. Whether this is for kids or adults or both begs the question. There is something for everyone easily discovered via the zippy titles or humorous images that accompany the one- to three-page explanations. Text is simple and descriptive although the arithmetic might take a bit of effort.-Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out
by Mary Brigid Barrett
Published 2008 by Candlewick Press (MA)

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780763620677

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

Conceived and co-created by the National Children's Book and Literary Alliance, this collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, poetry, and original art from more than 100 leading authors and illustrators offers a multifaceted look at America's history through the prism of the White House. It includes an Introduction by bestselling historian David McCullough ("John Adams").

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 09/08/2008

Eight years in the making, this anthology of White House history convenes an all-star roster of 108 children's authors and illustrators, as well as a few scholars and former White House employees and residents--and it is a blue-ribbon choice for family sharing during an election year. Chronologically ordered, the entries range from poems to presidential speeches, satirical cartoons to stately portraits; despite the talents of the literary contributors (Kate DiCamillo offers a poem about Lincoln's death, Patricia MacLachlan describes Eleanor Roosevelt's rescue of a cat belonging to a young girl), perhaps the most striking writings are those that most closely adhere to the historical record. Barbara Kerley details Thomas Jefferson's passion for paleontology, and M.T. Anderson describes White House ghosts (Churchill, visited by a spectral Lincoln, "tapped the ash off the end of his cigar and said, 'Good evening, Mr. President. You seem to have me at a disadvantage'"). But few of the writers create the same impact as the occasional document: Robert Kennedy addresses the nation after Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated, and Richard Nixon bids farewell to the White House staff. (That young readers will react to these documents is in no small part due to the writers' success in establishing the contexts for them.) Among the most provocative entries are works by artists who "look in" on the White House with a demonstrably personal vision: David Small shares color sketches of "backstairs at the White House," a study in contrasts; Bob Kolar arranges the presidents as if on a board game, with clever annotations (who knew President Arthur held a yard sale while in office?); Peter Sis supplies 37 characteristically enigmatic portraits to illustrate freedom to worship. Although a few entries seem formulaic, the volume makes the invaluable point that history does not have to be remote or abstract, but a personal and ongoing engagement.

09/01/2008 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 3-8-More than 100 authors and illustrators contributed to this wide-ranging collection of short pieces about the First Family residence. Most participants are creators of books for youth, along with a sprinkling of other figures, such as historian David McCullough, and actual White House occupants. Arranged in general chronological order, the chapters are delightfully varied in form, tone, and subject matter. They include straightforward history, brief essays, personal narratives, and even fantasy, as in Meg Cabot's lighthearted time-travel story. The handsome layout and excellent-quality illustrations provide strong appeal. The pairing of words and art is often inspired, as in Maybelle Mayer's paper doll cutouts from 1938 that accompany Nancy Willard's poem about White House dresses. There are powerful visual moments as well, such as the dazzling series of spreads featuring visual interpretations of Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms," each by a different artist. Many segments convey personal details that humanize the presidential families, such as Virginia Euwer Wolff's introduction to the musical sophistication of the Tafts and Anita Silvey's look at Jackie Kennedy's literary career. Humor plays a role too, as in Steven Kellogg's artistic rendering of an imagined "Best in Show" contest among White House pets. Some readers will progress straight through from Jane Yolen's imagined conversation between John and Abigail Adams to the first National Book Festival in 2001, while others may browse and jump about; either way, this entertaining introduction to the White House is full of fascinating information, challenging ideas, and appealing artwork.-Steven Engelfried, Multnomah County Library, OR

What Presidents Are Made of
by Hanoch Piven
Published 2004 by Atheneum Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780689868801

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

In this funny, unusual, and visual book, Piven uses kid-friendly materials, ranging from blue jeans to boxing gloves, to create caricature portraits that reveal what "makes up" the temperaments of several U.S. presidents. Full color.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 08/02/2004

In this comical collection of portraits of U.S. presidents, Piven (The Perfect Purple Feather ) capitalizes on children's interest in unusual historical facts by juxtaposing a short anecdote next to a clever, collage caricature. Reagan plays ping-pong with the chimpanzee from Bedtime for Bonzo , while obese Taft literally gets stuck in the White House bathtub with a yellow duckie. Piven not only captures expressions but zeroes in on personality traits. He references George W. Bush's enthusiasm for sports with a nose and eyebrows created from a hot dog and bun, while tiny baseballs outline his bemused mouth. Bill Clinton's gummy-bear grin is turned upside-down to illustrate his teacher giving him a C for "raising his hand too often." Piven nicely varies the compositions: Teddy Roosevelt gets a spread with spot illustrations of his many interests, while Thomas Jefferson appears across the gutter from Andrew Jackson (the duel-prone president's eyes are made from bullets). The title of the book is intriguing, and the text and portraits cohere thematically, but the repeated riff on the titular phrase does not always work (e.g., "Presidents are made of comfortable shoes ," "Presidents are made of speed demons "). Although not every president is represented, a closing "Presidential Timeline" shows portraits or photos of all the inhabitants of the Oval Office. Published just in time for the election, these funny historical tidbits about American presidents are bound to delight grade school history buffs. Ages 6-10. (July)

08/01/2004 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 2-6 -Beginning with its wordplay title, this book exhibits Piven's flair for creativity and whimsy. Focusing on 17 U.S. presidents, each single- or double-page entry begins with the same phrase ("Presidents are made of..."), includes an interesting anecdote showing the human side of that individual, and presents a collage caricature made of inventive bits of realia that extend the metaphors suggested in the text. For example, George Washington is "...made of good deeds." The narrative recounts how he helped extinguish a neighborhood fire at age 67. His "portrait" has eyes made of small resin-coated American flags that reflect enough light to make them twinkle. Thomas Jefferson is made of "comfortable shoes"; Andrew Jackson, "hot tempers"; Theodore Roosevelt, "endless energy"; and Bill Clinton, "enthusiasm." The last spread has official portraits of all the presidents, their birth and death dates, and their years in office. In the introduction, readers are invited to compare the "object portraits" with the realistic images and to fashion collages of their own. Children will be fascinated by the imaginative, humorous artwork and will appreciate the anecdotes that allow them to see the "stuff" that presidents are made of. This book should be particularly popular at election time, but will be enjoyed any time, singly or in groups.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ

Twilight
by Stephenie Meyer
Published 2005 by Megan Tingley Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780316160179

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. When she meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen--a vampire--her life takes a thrilling and terrifying romantic turn. Young Adult.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 07/18/2005

Isabella Swan, 17, narrates this riveting first novel, propelled by suspense and romance in equal parts. The story opens with a cryptic scene of the heroine "facing death," then flashes back to Bella's departure from Phoenix, where her mother lives with her new husband, as the teen heads off to live with her father, the police chief in Forks, Wash. From the first day at her new high school, she finds herself magnetically drawn to Edward Cullen, whose behavior towards her is erratic ("I'd just explained my dreary life to this bizarre, beautiful boy who may or may not despise me"). Then she finds out why his interest in her runs hot and cold: he is a vampire--but of an unusual variety. Edward, his siblings and their adoptive parents have disciplined themselves to feed on animals rather than humans; and Edward is obsessed with Bella. Other elements factor into the plot, including a rival group of vampires who are not as disciplined as the Cullens. This plot twist (which includes a subplot about one of the Cullens' past life) contributes to a rushed denouement (much of it takes place offstage) that is perhaps the novel's only weakness. The main draw here is Bella's infatuation with outsider Edward, the sense of danger inherent in their love, and Edward's inner struggle--a perfect metaphor for the sexual tension that accompanies adolescence. These will be familiar to nearly every teen, and will keep readers madly flipping the pages of Meyer's tantalizing debut. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)

10/01/2005 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up- Headstrong, sun-loving, 17-year-old Bella declines her mom's invitation to move to Florida, and instead reluctantly opts to move to her dad's cabin in the dreary, rainy town of Forks, WA. She becomes intrigued with Edward Cullen, a distant, stylish, and disarmingly handsome senior, who is also a vampire. When he reveals that his specific clan hunts wildlife instead of humans, Bella deduces that she is safe from his blood-sucking instincts and therefore free to fall hopelessly in love with him. The feeling is mutual, and the resulting volatile romance smolders as they attempt to hide Edward's identity from her family and the rest of the school. Meyer adds an eerie new twist to the mismatched, star-crossed lovers theme: predator falls for prey, human falls for vampire. This tension strips away any pretense readers may have about the everyday teen romance novel, and kissing, touching, and talking take on an entirely new meaning when one small mistake could be life-threatening. Bella and Edward's struggle to make their relationship work becomes a struggle for survival, especially when vampires from an outside clan infiltrate the Cullen territory and head straight for her. As a result, the novel's danger-factor skyrockets as the excitement of secret love and hushed affection morphs into a terrifying race to stay alive. Realistic, subtle, succinct, and easy to follow, Twilight will have readers dying to sink their teeth into it.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library

The Red Thread: A Novel in Three Incarnations
by Roderick Townley
Published 2007 by Atheneum Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9781416908944

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

How do you avenge -- or forgive -- your own murder four hundred years after it happened? Prompted by recurrent dreams, sixteen-year-old Dana Landgrave uncovers an ancient crime that has drawn the same souls together through three lifetimes. There's nothing sinister about the girl's sunlit twenty-first-century American life in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Yet, centuries ago, terrible things were done -- by someone she knows! Could it be her easygoing, easy-to-look-at boyfriend, Chase? Or her younger brother, Ben, who has been confined to a wheelchair since a school bus accident? What about Gianna, her inscrutable enemy on the yearbook staff? Or her eccentric psychotherapist, Dr. Sprague? As Dana summons courage to reenter the past, each incarnation propels her to new discoveries -- and new suspicions -- until the threads of all three lives converge in a devastating revelation.

04/01/2007 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up- Sixteen-year old Dana Landgrave has nightmares of a boy being sealed into a small space by a man he previously trusted. The dreams rob her of sleep and render her somewhat claustrophobic. Her therapist convinces Dana to undergo past-life regression therapy, on the supposition that her dreams are actually memories of a previous incarnation. As the story unfolds, readers learn of two previous lives, each of which features some people from her current existence in their earlier forms. Dana even travels to Great Britain with her family and boyfriend, where she confirms some past-life memories. This story has the feeling of the movieDead Again , in which characters from a previous existence have unexpected roles in this life. InThe Red Thread , though, the roles are fairly well telegraphed-the creepy shrink is actually a bad guy from the 16th century. Rather than drama, Townley uses melodrama. Instead of a clever resolution of plot strands, the over-the-top climax features water raging below in an open storm sewer and a crucifix filed to a deadly point. There are a few factual problems as well, including a shrink who has some difficulty with his own terminology, describing himself as a schizophrenic when he is portrayed as someone with multiple personality disorder. The titular red thread even turns out to be something of a loose end.-Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

A Certain Slant of Light
by Laura Whitcomb
Published 2005 by Graphia Books

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780618585328

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

In the class of the high school English teacher she has been haunting, Helen feels them: for the first time in 130 years, human eyes are looking at her. They belong to a boy, a boy who has not seemed remarkable until now. And Helen--terrified, but intrigued--is drawn to him. The fact that he is in a body and she is not presents this unlikely couple with their first challenge. But as the lovers struggle to find a way to be together, they begin to discover the secrets of their former lives and of the young people they come to possess.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 08/22/2005

First-time author Whitcomb infuses Gothic romance with modern-day drama to create a highly sensual, supernatural story of two spirits caught in purgatory. The body of Helen perished 130 years ago, but her soul still roams the Earth, cleaving to humans who share her love of literature. In all those years, Helen has never seen anyone else who is "Light," until she meets James, who has possessed the body of an 11th grade student. Knowing at once that they are meant to be together, Helen allows James to teach her how to enter the body of an "empty" teenager, not knowing what complications lie ahead. Posing as Jennifer Ann, the daughter of fundamentalist Christians, Helen finds herself trapped in a sterile household void of art and literature with little chance to visit James, who lives in a run-down house with a violent older brother. Meticulously wrought descriptions of the ghosts' feelings and actions allow readers to experience the physical sensations of Helen and James as they rediscover the pleasures of taste and touch and re-experience the suffering that is part of every human experience. Sexually explicit scenes and not-so-gentle jabs at hypocritical Christians may raise some eyebrows, but the author's poetic prose, capturing the spirit and sorrow of the two unearthly protagonists, will likely have a mesmerizing effect on readers. Ages 14-up. (Sept.)

09/01/2005 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up -Helen died 130 years ago as a young woman. Unable to enter heaven because of a sense of guilt she carried at death, she has been silent and invisible but conscious and sociable across the generations. Her spirit has been sustained by its attachment to one living human host after another, including a poet and, most recently, a high-school English teacher. While she sits through his class one day, she becomes aware of James and he-unlike the mortals all around them-is aware of her as well. James, who also died years earlier, inhabits the body of a contemporary teen, Billy. James and Helen fall in love, he shows her how to inhabit the body of a person whose spirit has died but who still lives and breathes, and the two begin to unfold the mysteries of their own pasts and those of their adolescent hosts. Jenny, whose body Helen now uses, is the only child of strict religious parents who controlled her beyond what her spirit could endure. Billy's spirit left his body after a string of tragedies resulting from drug abuse and domestic violence. James and Helen court in both modern and old-fashioned ways; here is a novel in which explicit sex is far from gratuitous or formulaic. Whitcomb writes with a grace that befits Helen's more modulated world while depicting contemporary society with sharp insight. In the subgenre of dead-narrator tales, this book shows the engaging possibilities of immortality-complete with a twist at the end that wholly satisfies.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

The Dead and the Gone
by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Published 2008 by Harcourt Children's Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780152063115

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful novel--a companion to "Life As We Knew It"--explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 05/19/2008

As riveting as Life as We Knew It and even grittier, this companion novel returns to the premise of that previous book to show how New York City responds to the global disasters that ensue when an asteroid knocks the moon out of orbit. This time Pfeffer focuses on high school junior Alex Morales, whose parents go missing after the catastrophe. It's up to him to find a way to keep himself and his two younger sisters alive while the planet is rocked by famine, floods, freezing temperatures and widespread disease. Once again Pfeffer creates tension not only through her protagonist's day-to-day struggles but also through chilling moral dilemmas: whether to rob the dead, who to save during a food riot, how long to preserve the hope that his parents might return. She depicts death and destruction more graphically than before, making the horror of Alex's ordeal all the more real. Religion also plays a larger role. A devout Catholic, Alex finds his faith in God shaken, but he relies on the guidance, compassion and sacrifice of church leaders in order to stay alive. The powerful images and wrenching tragedies will haunt readers. Ages 12-up. (June)

08/01/2008 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-An asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth, and every conceivable natural disaster occurs. Seventeen-year-old Alex Morales's parents are missing and presumed drowned by tsunamis. Left alone, he struggles to care for his sisters Bri, 14, and Julie, 12. Things look up as Central Park is turned into farmland and food begins to grow. Then worldwide volcanic eruptions coat the sky with ash and the land freezes permanently. People starve, freeze, or die of the flu. Only the poor are left in New York-a doomed island-while the rich light out for safe towns inland and south. The wooden, expository dialogue and obvious setup of the first pages quickly give way to the well-wrought action of the snowballing tragedy. The mood of the narrative is appropriately frenetic, somber, and hopeful by turns. Pfeffer's writing grows legs as the terrifying plot picks up speed, and conversations among the siblings are realistically fluid and sharp-edged. The Moraleses are devout Catholics, and though the church represents the moral center of the novel, Pfeffer doesn't proselytize. The characters evolve as the city decomposes, and the author succeeds in showing their heroism without making them caricatures of virtue. She accurately and knowingly depicts New York City from bodegas to boardrooms, and even the far-fetched science upon which the novel hinges seems well researched. This fast-paced, thoughtful story is a good pick for melodrama fiends and reluctant readers alike.-Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library

Emperors of the Ice: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in the Antarctic, 1910-13
by Richard Farr
Published 2008 by Farrar Straus Giroux

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780374319755

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

Rife with captivating details of survival in an icy wilderness, and illustrated with dozens of photographs from the actual journey, this reimagining of the famous 1910 expedition to the South Pole is an unforgettable tale of courage and camaraderie. Illustrations.

12/01/2008 REVIEW: School Library Journal

Gr 7-10-A recounting of the fatal Antarctic exploration led by Englishman Robert Falcon Scott. The story is told from the point of view of journeyman Apsley Cherry-Garrard and is based on his experiences as recorded in The Worst Journey in the World. The author incorporates numerous primary sources, including diaries, letters, and black-and-white reproductions and archival photographs that aid in capturing Garrard's mindset and that of the other members of the expedition. The goal of the trip was to find the South Pole, with an offshoot expedition to collect samples of the fabled Emperor penguin's eggs. Though dialogue was obviously re-created, and some assumptions are made regarding the thoughts and feelings of crew members, Farr's writing is engrossing and his accounts of the hardships and near-death experiences the explorers faced are harrowing. The accompanying maps, photographs, and drawings complement the text, though some of them break it up at odd intervals. This title will appeal to readers looking for an adventure story and to history buffs.-Kelly McGorray, Glenbard South High School Library, Glen Ellyn, IL

Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
by Paul Hawken
Published 1999 by Little Brown and Company

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780316353168

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 09/06/1999

Hawken (The Ecology of Commerce) and Amory and Hunter Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, an environmental think tank, have put together an ambitious, visionary monster of a book advocating "natural capitalism." The short answer to the logical question (What is natural capitalism?) is that it is a way of thinking that seeks to apply market principles to all sources of material value, most importantly natural resources. The authors have two related goals: first, to show the vast array of ecologically smart options available to businesses; second, to argue that it is possible for society and industry to adopt them. Hawken and the Lovinses acknowledge such barriers as the high initial costs of some techniques, lack of knowledge of alternatives, entrenched ways of thinking and other cultural factors. In looking at options for transportation (including the development of ultralight, electricity-powered automobiles), energy use, building design, and waste reduction and disposal, the book's reach is phenomenal. It belongs to the galvanizing tradition of Frances Moore Lapp 's Diet for a Small Planet and Stewart Brand's The Whole Earth Catalog. Whether all that the authors have organized and presented so earnestly here can be assimilated and acted on by the people who run the world is open to question. But readers with a capacity for judicious browsing and grazing can surely learn enough in these pages to apply well-reasoned pressure. Charts and graphs, with accompanying CD-ROM. (Oct.)

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
by William McDonough
Published 2002 by North Point Press

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780865475878

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

A manifesto for a radically different philosophy and practice of manufacture and environmentalism

"Reduce, reuse, recycle" urge environmentalists; in other words, do more with less in order to minimize damage. As William McDonough and Michael Braungart argue in their provocative, visionary book, however, this approach perpetuates a one-way, "cradle to grave" manufacturing model that dates to the Industrial Revolution and casts off as much as 90 percent of the materials it uses as waste, much of it toxic. Why not challenge the notion that human industry must inevitably damage the natural world, they ask.

In fact, why not take nature itself as our model? A tree produces thousands of blossoms in order to create another tree, yet we do not consider its abundance wasteful but safe, beautiful, and highly effective; hence, "waste equals food" is the first principle the book sets forth. Products might be designed so that, after their useful life, they provide nourishment for something new-either as "biological nutrients" that safely re-enter the environment or as "technical nutrients" that circulate within closed-loop industrial cycles, without being "downcycled" into low-grade uses (as most "recyclables" now are).

Elaborating their principles from experience (re)designing everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, the authors make an exciting and viable case for change.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 02/11/2002

Environmentalists are normally the last people to be called shortsighted, yet that's essentially what architect McDonough and chemist Braungart contend in this clarion call for a new kind of ecological consciousness. The authors are partners in an industrial design firm that devises environmentally sound buildings, equipment and products. They argue that conventional, expensive eco-efficiency measures things like recycling or emissions reduction are inadequate for protecting the long-term health of the planet. Our industrial products are simply not designed with environmental safety in mind; there's no way to reclaim the natural resources they use or fully prevent ecosystem damage, and mitigating the damage is at best a stop-gap measure. What the authors propose in this clear, accessible manifesto is a new approach they've dubbed "eco-effectiveness": designing from the ground up for both eco-safety and cost efficiency. They cite examples from their own work, like rooftops covered with soil and plants that serve as natural insulation; nontoxic dyes and fabrics; their current overhaul of Ford's legendary River Rouge factory; and the book itself, which will be printed on a synthetic "paper" that doesn't use trees. Because profitability is a requirement of the designs, the thinking goes, they appeal to business owners and obviate the need for regulatory apparatus. These shimmery visions can sound too good to be true, and the book is sometimes frustratingly short on specifics, particularly when it comes to questions of public policy and the political interests that might oppose widespread implementation of these designs. Still, the authors' original concepts are an inspiring reminder that humans are capable of much more elegant environmental solutions than the ones we've settled for in the last half-century. (Apr.)

The Lace Reader
by Brunonia Barry
Published 2007 by Flap Jacket Press

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780979159305

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 08/06/2007

In Barry's captivating debut, Towner Whitney, a dazed young woman descended from a long line of mind readers and fortune tellers, has survived numerous traumas and returned to her hometown of Salem, Mass., to recover. Any tranquility in her life is short-lived when her beloved great-aunt Eva drowns under circumstances suggesting foul play. Towner's suspicions are taken with a grain of salt given her history of hallucinatory visions and self-harm. The mystery enmeshes local cop John Rafferty, who had left the pressures of big city police work for a quieter life in Salem and now finds himself falling for the enigmatic Towner as he mourns Eva and delves into the history of the eccentric Whitney clan. Barry excels at capturing the feel of smalltown life, and balances action with close looks at the characters' inner worlds. Her pacing and use of different perspectives show tremendous skill and will keep readers captivated all the way through.(Oct.)

Sarah's Key
by Tatiana De Rosnay
Published 2007 by St. Martin's Press

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780312370831

Find this book in our catalog.

Jacket Notes:

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel' d'Hiv's 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 05/28/2007

De Rosnay's U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d'Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél' d'Hiv' roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand's family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers - especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive - the more she uncovers about Bertrand's family, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay's 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It beautifully conveys Julia's conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah's trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to put down.(July)