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INSIDE
Book Review TULSABOOKREVIEW.COM
OCTOBER 2016
Tito Puente, Mambo King Books to Treasure Pages 4 & 5
October is Teen Read Month! Meet Author A.S. King Page 7
The Boys Are Back
Meet Author Meg Cabot Pages 12 & 13
EVENT GUIDE
Inside
Category
Cooking, Food & Wine SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
THE SMOKING BACON & HOG COOKBOOK By Bill Gillespie with Tim O’Keefe Page Street, $21.99, 192 pages Reviewed by George Erdosh Check this out! Very few home cooks qualify to use The Smoking Bacon & Hog Cookbook, but those who do will find this book by Bill Gillespie excellent. First, you must own at least one good smoker, preferably two: a noninsulated bullet-style and an insulated cabinet smoker. Gillespie uses both; plus you also need a good charcoal grill. Gillespie starts with the basics, reviewing what you need and describing the two types of smokers—too bad he did not think of illustrating them. You must have a source of good bacon, as one-third of his recipes use it. He also gives a recipe on how to make your own, but the process takes patience and time. In fact, nearly all the recipes take time—hours in the smoker. He provides you with many different home-smoked sausage recipes, too, and some very good thumbnail photo series (18 photos on how to cook a whole hog). Many recipes are unusual: bacon-wrapped pineapple mozzarella rings, chocolate bacon bark, pig wings, barbecue parfait. The cookbook is nicely illustrated with large photos; the nicely laid-out recipes are well-written and ingredients are easy to find. One thing they all have in common: they are rich. THE DIM SUM FIELD GUIDE: A TAXONOMY OF DUMPLINGS, BUNS, MEATS, SWEETS, AND OTHER SPECIALTIES OF THE CHINESE TEAHOUSE By Carolyn Phillips Ten Speed Press, $14.99, 176 pages Reviewed by Michelle Tan Check this out! As an avid foodie, I sure love dim sum. If you are unfamiliar with dim sum, then The Dim Sum Field Guide is the perfect starter for you to get a brief introduction into this famous staple in most Chinese households and restaurants. Dim sum is usually a brunch meal where a plethora of small dishes are brought forth. In this field guide, Carolyn Phillips gives readers an insight into the most popular dim sum dishes such as steamed, unwrapped, baked, fried and of course, my favorite, sweet dims sums. Also, one would think dim sum are just buns and small dishes, but for you beginners, you will be surprised to know dim sum dishes also include stir fried noodle dishes. What’s great about this guide is that it breaks down what ingredients are in each food item and includes a fun sketch of each dim sum. Go find your nearest dim sum restaurant and be ready to order a plethora of dishes, as this book will make you hungry. OUT OF THE BOX DESSERTS: SIMPLY SPECTACULAR, SEMI-HOMEMADE SWEETS By Hayley Parker Countryman Press, $24.95, 224 pages Reviewed by Faith Aeriel Check this out! This is everything your sweet tooth has ever wanted. End of review. No? You want to know more? Of course you do! I’ve always loved baking, but recently the recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House chocolate chips bag hasn’t quite been cutting it. Pinterest held me over for a while – I found some great dumpcake recipes and a new favorite blondie recipe – but eventually I came to the conclusion that I’d seen everything I was going to. And then Out of the Box Desserts found its way into my hands, and suddenly my days of hit-or-miss dessert recipes were over. Out of the Box Dessertshas a very straightforward organization (five chapters that cover cakes, brownies, cookies, pies, and candies) that makes it easy to
navigate, and I actually found myself reading author Hayley Parker’s down-to-earth introduction of each recipe – the part of every recipe that I inevitably skip over in my eagerness to get to the good stuff. And the recipes themselves? Oh, man. Where do I even start? Blueberry Muffin Cake? Strawberry Milkshake Cupcakes? Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Bars? Cherry Pie Cookies? Root Beer Float Pie? The goal of Out of the Box Desserts is to transform, you guessed it, out-of-the-box dessert mixes (brownie mixes, cake mixes, etc.) into something completely new and decadent. Check and check. EATING IN THE MIDDLE: A MOSTLY WHOLESOME COOKBOOK By Andie Mitchell Clarkson Potter, $27.99, 240 pages Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck Check it out! When a cookbook author opens with the information that she has lost 135 pounds, most readers sit up and pay attention. The introduction is pure inspiration for those with weight issues. But when readers get to the recipe section, they will be both inspired and amazed. The 80 recipes in this book seem really decadent, even if they are, for the most part, very healthy. One of her tricks is to use bacon to make things taste better, but just enough to flavor. Check out the Cauliflower with Bacon recipe. It’s easy and perfectly delicious. Or try the Bacon-Wrapped Tenderloin with Ginger Apple Compote. It takes a little time and effort but is so worth it — it’s delicious to the point of almost being decadent. The dessert section is outrageous, with things like Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie (it’s really gooey and good) and Lime Coconut Cream Cups. Most recipes have a little anecdote about the dish followed by excellent instructions, an ingredients list, and a breakdown of the calories, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, total fat, saturated fat and sodium content. The writing is snappy and interesting. This is a great cookbook for anyone, but if weight is an issue, it’s especially good. EAT IT UP!: 150 RECIPES TO USE EVERY BIT AND ENJOY EVERY BITE OF THE FOOD YOU BUY By Sherri Brooks Vinton Da Capo Lifelong Books, $18.99, 241 pages Reviewed by George Erdosh Check this out! Food waste in our society is endemic; Sherri Brooks Vinton hopes home cooks will remedy this in her trade paperback cookbook Eat It Up!. If you have the time to reduce kitchen waste, this is an excellent book to use for most of the stuff you otherwise discard, like radish tops, asparagus stalks, or skins and bones. No doubt, it takes a little extra kitchen time. When saving apple peels, for example, you need to remove the wax coating on the apples (Vinton provides the method). In the introduction, she gives a good run-down of the idea with many good waste-reducing tips. The next section is produce, listed alphabetically from apple to watermelon, with several recipes for each using mostly the discards. Then come poultry, fish, meat, and finally the pantry section with the remainder of food items, each with more recipes. Many different stock recipes are nice additions. The recipes are good and easy to follow and ingredients are readily available, though you may have a problem finding some such as Brussels sprouts or broccoli leaves. You’ll find unusual recipes (chard stem pickles) but many good kitchen tips. For each item she gives buying, storing and prepping guides. AMERICA’S BEST BREAKFASTS: FAVORITE LOCAL RECIPES FROM COAST TO COAST By Lee Brian Schrager, Adeena Sussman Clarkson Potter, $23.00, 240 pages Reviewed by Robert Buccellato Check this out! My wife and I are self-proclaimed foodies, a trait we are slowly passing on to our son. We love to travel and taste different foods, to fill our home with new kinds of rich and delicious foods. Often we will have breakfast for dinner, filling our dinning room table with fresh fruit, mountains of bacon and lots of black coffee. America’s Best Breakfasts: Favorite Local Recipes From Coast to Coast by Lee Brian Schrager and Adeena Sussman was a perfect fit for us and our easy-going taste buds. It’s a foodie’s Holy Grail of places to grab and enjoy the nation’s finest breakfasts. The pictures are just delightful and make you starving after a few stares. Not only a handy travel guide for the family, it’s a relaxing tale of a nationwide cafe and donut shop hopping. Highly recommended.
Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 2
Tulsa
Book Review
IN THIS ISSUE Cooking, Food & Wine....................................2
Tulsa City-County Library 400 Civic Center Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 Ph. (918) 549-7323 EDITOR IN CHIEF
Kids’ Books................................................. 4, 5
Ross Rojek Ross@1776productions.com
' 2016 Books to Treasure with Rafael Lopez.....5
EDITOR/COORDINATOR
Teens..............................................................6
Jackie Hill Tulsa City-County Library GRAPHIC DESIGN/LAYOUT
Tweens...........................................................7
Heidi Komlofske-Rojek COPY EDITORS Heidi Komlofske-Rojek Christopher Hayden
Meet Author A.S. King....................................7 Crime Fiction..................................................8
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Christopher Hayden Samantha Kingsbury Danielle McManus WEBSITE
Adult Graphic Fiction......................................9 Nonfiction.............................................. 10, 11
TulsaBookReview.com
Fiction.................................................... 12, 13 Meet Author Meg Cabot................................13 Biographies & Memoirs.......................... 14, 15
The Tulsa Book Review is published monthly by City Book Review. The opinions expressed in these pages are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Tulsa Book Review or City Book Review advertisers. All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders. All words ©2016, City Book Review
Science & Nature...........................................15 Check This Out: Free Online Learning..........16
FROM THE PUBLISHER Dear Reader, The day is finally here. Tulsa County now has a new Central Library! Built within the shell of its former 51-yearold self, the building officially opens Saturday, Oct. 1. The library not only experienced a complete facelift, inside and out, but also all the mechanical systems, carpets, furnishings and nearly every interior wall was replaced as well. Along with containing many of the books listed in this month’s Tulsa Book Review, the library offers a digital learning lab, maker space, sound recording studio, center for learning and creativity, plethora of study rooms, new children’s garden, parking structure and Starbucks Coffee Shop. The space is truly designed for the 21st century customer – a place where people will convene, collaborate and create. All of Tulsa County is invited to the grand opening on Oct 1. Festivities begin at 10 a.m., with a ribbon cutting and doors to open at 11. The library will be open seven days per week, closing only for national holidays. The coffee shop operating hours are from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Covered drinks always are welcome in the library. Over $30 million was raised privately to complete the project. Other project funds came from Improve Our Tulsa approved by Tulsa voters in 2013 and the rest from library savings. This new library will serve all of Tulsa County for generations to come. My library colleagues and I are bowled over by the generosity of the philanthropic community, Mayor Bartlett, the Tulsa City Council and the voters of Tulsa for seeing clearly to renew Tulsa’s Central Library. We also would like to thank the Tulsa CityCounty Library Commission, Tulsa Library Trust, Capital Campaign Committee and its chair Robert LaFortune for their leadership on this project. As for everyone else … we’ll see you at your new Central Library really soon!
Gary Shaffer, Ph.D. Tulsa City-County Library CEO
THE PECULIAR HAUNTING OF THELMA BEE By Erin Petti, Kris Aro McLeod (illustrator) Mighty Media Junior Readers, $16.99, 216 pages Reviewed by Rebecca Williams Check this out!
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Kids’ Books SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
THEY ALL SAW A CAT By Brendan Wenzel Chronicle Books LLC Reviewed by Joy Carr, youth librarian, Schusterman-Benson Library Check this out! They All Saw a Cat allows readers to join Cat as he takes his daily walk, meeting his human child, the goldfish, a fox and others along the way. With each turn of the page, readers see Cat from a different vantage point. When the goldfish meets Cat, readers see the cat from within the fishbowl as the goldfish sees it: large, looming and blurry. When the flea sees Cat, the cat becomes a giant forest of cat fur, yet when a bird flying high above the trees sees Cat, it becomes tiny and harmless. The variety of media used in the artwork is effective, evoking in readers the emotion of each animal Cat meets. The simple, rhythmic prose makes this ideal for interactive reading with your child, and the different views of Cat by each animal create an opportunity to discuss with your child about why each animal sees Cat the way it does. Though everyone sees Cat differently, they all saw a cat! Medium: colored pencil, oil pastels, acrylic paint, watercolor, charcoal, Magic Marker, No. 2 pencils and an iBook. TITO PUENTE, MAMBO KING By Monica Brown, Rafael Lopez (illustrator) Rayo, 32 pages Reviewed by Laura Raphael, Children’s Services coordinator, Tulsa City-County Library Check this out! A picture book, by its nature, typically exists on a strictly visual plane. Not so for Tito Puente, Mambo King, a bilingual picture book written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Rafael Lopez. Instead, the illustrations somehow transcend images and express a riot of auditory delight – appropriate for a true-life tale of musician and bandleader Tito Puente, who brought mambo, salsa and other Latin music styles to 20th century American ears. While Brown tells Puente’s Spanish-Harlem-to-Grammy-Award success story in short, snappy sentences, Lopez matches her words with energetic swirls of color dancing in rhythm-inspired leaps off the page. Lopez’s animals are particularly expressive. Cats carry flags declaring Puente “El Rey” (“The King”), parrots and songbirds streak through the air with trails of color in celebration of his music, and fish spring from the water in elegant, musical arcs. Children and adults alike will enjoy the visual-turned-aural storytelling of Tito Puente, Mambo King – and will likely be inspired to seek out music by the Tito Puente Orchestra. There also will be a free public presentation by Rafael Lopez on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Hardesty Regional Library. Lopez is the selected illustrator for the 2016 Books to Treasure program, which is coordinated by the Tulsa City-County Library and funded by the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation. All second-graders in Tulsa County will receive a free copy of Tito Puente, Mambo King and will have the opportunity to receive a special library card featuring artwork by Rafael Lopez. TINY LEGO WONDERS: BUILD 40 SURPRISINGLY REALISTIC MINI-MODELS! By Mattia Zamboni No Starch Press, $24.95, 208 pages Reviewed by Gretchen Wagner Check this out! If you love LEGOs, or have a LEGO-lover in your house, this book is for you! Master LEGO builders from around the world offer 40 models for building miniature vehicles using your LEGO bricks and building pieces. Divided into sections such as “The Train Station,” “The Airport,” “The Construction Site,” “The Harbor” or “The Moon Army,” you can learn to build vehicles such as a cruise ship, an Airbus Super Transporter, a Flatbed Hauler or Cement Mixer, Mini Jeeps, or even a Space Shuttle! Each model has a picture of the finished build, a bill of materials listing exactly what pieces--and in what quantity and color--are needed, and a detailed set of instructions for building. Models are ranked according to difficulty level. Some, like the Freighter, are somewhat complex, but many are very easy--the smaller sailing ship uses only nine pieces! Consonant with the exuberant joy that is a LEGO trademark, this book delivers a fun, whimsical set of colorful blueprints for tiny machines you can use to populate scenes limited only by your imagination.
Thelma is just trying to navigate middle school, avoid the rude popular girls and work on her research projects. She can often be found making notes in her scientific notebook about current studies, questions she has, observations she’s made, or ideas for future research. However, she is quickly distracted when her father takes in a rare antique at his antiques shop. Evidently, the rare antique jewelry box also houses a ghost who takes her father hostage in exchange for Thelma’s help with a particularly dark wizard. Even though Thelma is feeling overwhelmed – her mom is away on a scientific expedition, and she has no other family – she assembles the local paranormal group, of which her best friend, Alexander, is a member, and sets off to save her father. Even though she is scared, her love for her family pushes her forward. Thelma is a smart, independent character who quickly takes control of the situation, and her dislike for the annoying popular girls will endear her to many readers. This supernatural thriller is a must for those who enjoy the similarly chilling books by Mary Downing Hahn and Dan Poblocki. LOVE VOLUME 2: THE FOX By Frederic Brremaud and Federico Bertolucci Magnetic Press, $17.99, 80 pages Reviewed by Thomas Rojek Check this out! Every now and then you come across something that is not easy to define yet is simple in a beautifully minimalist sense, and Love: The Fox is just that. In this comic that has no written words, we watch the journey of a fox on a most important mission. Even offering that up as a description of the story does it no justice. Each panel is beautifully illustrated and shows the struggles to stay alive in a world that is full of predators and a changing environment. Every creature fights for survival as they also attempt to look out for their own while some take a more opportunistic approach and others perish. The only constant feeling is that of a looming urgency for the fox and of wanting her to get to wherever she needed to be. Simply put, this is a beautiful graphic novel that is sure to be a great addition to the library of anyone who purchases it. Frederic Brremaud and Federico Bertolucci have created a story that will be timeless without having a single word spoken. Much like how when I was little my favorite comic book was Gon, this has already become one of my new favorites due to the simple charm of the art and story. BAT-MITE By Dan Jurgens, Corin Howell DC Comics, $14.99, 144 pages Reviewed by Thomas Rojek Check this out! Bat-Mite is the story of a fifth-dimensional imp who is exiled to Earth by his own kind for crimes that are never explained and who decides to help out heroes that are, in his opinion, in need of his assistance. It starts of with him trying to assist Batman as he chases after some henchman along a cliff-side road, and then quickly goes pear-shaped from there. He ends up with two roommates named Reagan and Weed, who he aggravates with his ongoing shenanigans, like nearly burning down their apartment in an oil fire and then tormenting unsuspecting heroes with his changes to their outfits, origin stories, and even their personalities. After a brief stint as a life coach to unappreciative superheroes, he tackles some bigger fish, mainly adding some JLA-themed changes to America, including replacing Mount Rushmore with himself, Batman, Robin, and Batgirl. (He comes first of course, since Batman is his sidekick.) After finally nabbing the bad guy and giving him the ending he always wanted, he is taken back to his own dimension to speak with those who originally banished him. All in all it was a fun read, easy to get into, well worth checking out when you have a chance. SOPHIE’S SQUASH GO TO SCHOOL By Pat Zietlow Miller, Anne Wilsdorf (illustrator) Schwartz & Wade, $17.99, 40 pages Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck Check this out! Sophie is starting school, and she is pretty nervous. Her parents try to reassure her she will make plenty of new friends, but Sophie says she is happy with her squash friends, Bonnie and Baxter. Sophie doesn’t like much about the school — the chairs, the milk, and the other children who don’t understand Bonnie and Baxter. A boy named Steven tries to make friends with Sophie, but she just finds him annoying even though he also has a non-human friend, a stuffed frog named Marvin. Sophie rebuffs Steven’s efforts at every turn. But Steven doesn’t give up easily, and with the help of Marvin, he finally wins Sophie’s friendship. Sometimes it just takes some time to grow a friend, something Sophie should know, but she seems to have forgotten. Author Pat Zietlow Miller gave herself a high hill to climb in trying to follow up her very popular Sophie’s Squash. This sequel will keep Sophie’s legions of fans happy. The story has all the fun and charm of the first book. The whimsical illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf are every bit as enchanting as the earlier one. This is beginning to look like a franchise that has real legs.
Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 4
Book Reviews
Kids' Books
MOUNTAIN CHEF: HOW ONE MAN LOST HIS GROCERIES, CHANGED HIS PLANS, AND HELPED COOK UP THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE By Annette Bay Pimentel, Rich Lo (illustrator) Charlesbridge, $16.95, 40 pages Reviewed by Susan Roberts Check this out!
said, the text is compact and the artwork is vivid and well-suited to the narrative. The story ends with the powerful statement that stories will live forever. Because as long as there are people, there will be stories.
Mountain Chef tells of Tie Sing’s trials and tribulations to prepare gourmet meals for the first trip of visionaries taken to Yosemite in the effort to form the National Park Service. The time was 1915, when all food and people were carried in on mules and horseback. The parks were undeveloped, and the terrain was rough. For the chef, it was one of those trips where everything that could go wrong did, and he creatively solved each challenge and kept the bellies of the visionaries happy. Tie Sing’s accomplishments were significant in an era where Chinese-American discrimination flourished. A mountain peak named after him honors his consistent contributions toward forming the National Park Service. Illustrator Rich Lo’s pencil drawings and watercolors splash Yosemite to life and invite readers to savor each page. The artwork itself is well-worth discovering. The book’s beauty in depicting the historical story of one person’s dream in an era of discrimination makes for a fascinating, inspiring read. Following a well-told story are photos from the trip and background on the National Park Service. I AM A STORY By Dan Yaccarino HarperCollins, $17.99, 40 pages Reviewed by Josh Harrison Check this out! I Am a Story is an ode to stories of all kinds. Using his wellhoned simple yet very effective art style, acclaimed author/illustrator Dan Yaccarino takes the reader on a journey through time from when stories were told by cave people sitting around a campfire to modern times. This story explains how other stories had emotional impact and changed people’s lives. A meta-story that tells the tale of all other stories is a unique and clever concept. The appeal of a story about the timeless nature of storytelling may be more compelling for adults than young readers, as there is no character development, no goal, no plot tension, and no dialog. That
CREATUREPEDIA: WELCOME TO THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH By Adrienne Barman Wide Eyed Editions, $22.99, 216 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! There are visual encyclopedia, there are animal picture books, and there are trivia books, but Creaturepedia combines all three in delightfully bug-eyed fashion. The art is vibrant, silly, and genuinely informative — I would call it a little Far Side-esque — and a great deal of thought clearly went into the presentation. (The imagery of the “high jumpers” being mostly out of frame is really clever.) The creatures are divided up into all sorts of groupings — some by behavior, some by color, some by size, even some based on mythical origins — and these offer not only new associations for younger minds, but mix and match classic animals with lesser-known species. Did you know that there’s a snake that pretends its tail is its head in order to fool attackers? Or that there’s a bird that moonwalks to attract a mate? (That never worked for me...) And although the tone remains fun and lighthearted throughout, I must admit it was a little sobering to see the list of animals who’ve gone extinct in my lifetime. Creaturepedia is an awesome resource and a great read for kids and adults alike. AMELIA EARHART By Ma Isabel Sanchez Vegara Frances Lincoln Children’s Bks, $14.99, 32 pages Reviewed by Mi-Ah Kim Check this out! The Little People, Big Dreams series chronicles the lives of youngsters who grew up to become the inspiring people we learn about today. The range spans from artists to scientists to everything in between. Amelia Earhart, someone I admired as a child, was the perfect person to begin with as an introduction to the series. See AMELIA, cont’d on page 6
Friday, Nov. 4 • 7 p.m.
Hardesty Regional Library, Connor’s Cove 8316 E. 93rd St. • 918.549.7550
Meet children’s illustrator Rafael López. A book signing will follow.
Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust through a grant from the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation. Free and Open to the Public • www.TulsaLibrary.org If you are hearing-impaired and need a qualified interpreter, please call the library 48 hours in advance of the program. “Tito Puente, Mambo King” written by Monica Brown, illustrated by Rafael López, published by HarperCollins © 2013
Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 5
ENTER TITLE HERE By Rahul Kanakia Disney-Hyperion, $17.99, 352 pages Reviewed by Elizabeth Dubos Check this out!
Category
Teens SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
HOW TO HANG A WITCH By Adriana Mather Random House Children’s Books, 358 pages Reviewed by Kelly Bayles, youth librarian, Zarrow Regional Library Check this out! Bad luck follows 15-year-old Samantha Mather wherever she goes. When Samantha’s father falls mysteriously ill, she and her stepmother relocate from New York City to Salem, Mass., location of the notorious Salem Witch Trials. As a descendent of Cotton Mather, the Puritan minister whose writings fueled the witch hunt, Samantha faces the distrust and fear of Salem’s residents. Most hostile of all are The Descendents, a glamorous clique who claim descent from the original accused witches. To make matters worse, Samantha’s arrival kicks off a wave of accidents, illnesses and even deaths afflicting people connected with the witch trials. As Samantha learns more about Salem’s history and grows closer to The Descendents, it becomes clear that she is the focus of a curse threatening to destroy both The Descendents and Samantha herself. With the help of Elijah, a handsome ghost with tragic memories of the witch hunt, Samantha begins unraveling the mystery of the curse and coming to terms with her ancestor’s dark legacy. Told through Samantha’s snarky narration, How to Hang a Witch is a fast-paced, engaging young adult paranormal novel complete with haunted houses, secret passages, dark magic, true history, high school drama and a dash of supernatural romance. Author Adriana Mather, an actual descendent of Cotton Mather, grounds the story in Salem’s real history and locations. THE KILLER IN ME By Margot Harrison Disney-Hyperion, $17.99, 368 pages Reviewed by Rebecca Williams Check this out! Nina has known The Thief for many years – she only sees him when she closes her eyes at night. At first he was a comforting presence, but recently, he’s taken a turn toward violence. She watches as he uses his military training and stealth to become an untraceable serial killer. She’s done her research and knows these places she dreams of are real, so she attempts to prevent the next killing. She coaxes her friend, Warren, into helping her, but they are too late. Her next step is to visit the thief’s hometown in Albuquerque to find evidence, but when she arrives, he is not what she expects. In fact, he seems more like a dream than a nightmare, and Warren just might be right: she’s losing it. Components of this story are similar to the Wake series by Lisa McMann and just as good. The big reveal comes in phases and will compel readers to continue turning pages until the last word. The alternating viewpoints build suspense and help to increase the horror of The Thief and Nina’s nightmare connection. Sometimes the monsters we fear are closer than our nightmares, even when they seem like dreams. SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS By Darcy Woods Crown Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 352 pages Reviewed by Holly Scudero Check this out! Wilamena places a huge amount of faith in the power of astrology--the one passion she shared with her now-deceased mother. And, right now, the stars are telling her that the time is right for her to find her soulmate. Wil is determined to find him, but life becomes complicated when she meets the Walker brothers. She’s instantly drawn to Grant, but according to her astrological chart, he’s completely wrong for her. So she tries dating Seth instead, but she just can’t make herself feel the same thing he feels. Wil’s made a mess of things; is it too late to make things right? Summer of Supernovas is a sweet, if sometimes frustrating, love story by newcomer Darcy Woods. Readers will love Wil’s sense of humor, her fashion sense, and her sense of loyalty to her best friend and grandmother, although they’ll likely get annoyed by her stubborn reliance on astrology to help her find love. The story does occasionally take unexpected turns, which keeps the book fresh and unpredictable.
I give Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia 4 out of 5 stars. If readers love realistic fiction, both contemporary and young adult, then this is the book for them! Author Rahul Kanakia tells a story about a girl’s strong desire to “want it all.” Enter Title Here begins with a protagonist named Reshma Kapoor. She’s top ranked with honors at her heavily competitive high school and has a long list of extracurricular activities. It is Reshma’s dream to get into Stanford University. However, she wants to stand out more from the rest of the Stanford applicants. Enter literary agent Linda Montrose. Linda finds an article on the Huffington Post written by Reshma and suggests she write a book. Reshma is thrilled about the idea, yet isn’t convinced people will want to read her book. To make her book more interesting, Reshma goes into the world of trying basic teenage things: making a friend, getting a boyfriend, and letting her academics down. Reshma learns a healthy balance between school and how meaningful relationships can be successful as well. The entirety of the book revolves around the development of the character Reshma. She starts off as mean, manipulative, selfish, and vindictive. The many layers of the book reveal Reshma can be a caring, relaxed, smart, and clever girl. Also, she is Indian, so it was fantastic to see main character diversity in young adult books. I recommend Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia for others to read. AND I DARKEN By Kiersten White Delacorte Press, $18.99, 496 pages Reviewed by Rebecca Williams Check this out! Lada and younger brother Radu are born to the proud but weak Prince of Wallachia. She grows up wild and unruly, tormenting Radu and brawling with the boys. When her father trades her to the sultan of the Ottoman Empire, she realizes her low standing as a female. She trains constantly, insinuating herself with the local armed force, the Janissaries. She is given a group to lead, to protect the young new sultan, Mehmed, who has become more than a friend, though she is at war with herself. She can’t risk her safety as his friend and protector, nor can she give up the land where she grew up. Wallachia is her home, calling to her and pulling her back, but how can she leave her brother and greatest love, who sees her not as a woman but as an equal? This book examines the history of the Ottoman Empire before the fall of Constantinople, making it real, if a bit long-winded. This one falls a bit flat compared to her previous books and isn’t similar enough to appeal to the same readers. The references to the sultan’s harem and an LGBTQ love triangle make for a read more appropriate for older readers. SUMMER DAYS AND SUMMER NIGHTS: TWELVE LOVE STORIES By Stephanie Perkins St. Martin’s Griffin, $19.99, 400 pages Reviewed by Sarah Perry Check this out! Everyone leads a busy life these days, and what could be better for busy readers than a book of short stories? Stephanie Perkins has edited an incredible compilation of twelve short love stories for young adults. Each story is unique and memorable. This collection will introduce readers to fantastical creatures, take them to an all-horror-movie theater, a country club, up a mountain, on a camping adventure, and more. Not only is every story extremely well written and engaging, but there is a wonderful balance of diversity in these stories. Several of the love stories are LGBT, and the cast of characters is racially diverse as well. The theme of first love could have lent itself to sappiness and sentimentality, but these stories will put you through the range of emotions. There is certainly something for everyone here. Be prepared to laugh out loud, get misty eyed, and even get a little scared. I really enjoyed reading this collection and found myself wishing many of these characters would get books of their own.
AMELIA, cont’d from page 5 Amelia’s story begins as a young girl who dreams of being able to fly like a bird. She uses her arms as wings in delightfully rendered illustrations. Her dream seemingly becomes more in her reach when she attends her first air show. Her first ride in an airplane solidified her future and helped her become the person we read about now and later throughout the book. This book is thoughtfully crafted. Text stands out easily on the page and is paired with whimsical illustrations. I look forward to purchasing other titles in the Little People, Big Dreams series for my niece - particularly the Frida Kahlo and Maya Angelou books. I would highly recommend this particular part of the series to any parent eager to nurture the “dream big” mentality in their little ones.
Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 6
Category
Tweens SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
THE SCOURGE By Jennifer A. Nielsen Scholastic Press, $16.99, 368 pages Reviewed by Rebecca Williams Check this out! Ani is always getting into trouble, but now she’s really done it. She’s hanging in vines that cause an awful itchy rash and being pestered by a hecklebird. But that doesn’t compare to being accused of having The Scourge and being taken by the Wardens to be tested. However, she knows she doesn’t have it – her people, the River People, have not caught it…yet. When she escapes, her nature forces her to help someone in trouble, who in turn exposes her to The Scourge. The consequence is exile to Attic Island, where the infected go to live out their days. Ani fully expects to recover and show how strong the River People are, but only if she can behave long enough to avoid the worst punishments the Wardens can devise. Nielsen is the author of The False Prince, and Ani could have been Sage’s sister, as she is just as snarky and quick-witted. This book could surely have been a series, and many readers will be disappointed to leave Ani’s world so quickly. Though there are some situations that seem as though the resolution comes about too easily, this plot is still one of the best for middle-grade readers.
Meet Author A.S. KING
MAYDAY By Karen Harrington Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $16.99, 352 pages Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck Check this out! Wayne Kovok is young, but already his life is divided into “Before” and “After.” In “Before,” his mostly-absent dad is a jerk, his mom doesn’t smile much, and Wayne has learned to spout interesting facts to distract his mother, to fill in uncomfortable moments, and to dazzle pretty Sandy Showalter at school. When Wayne’s Uncle Reed is killed in Afghanistan, Wayne, his mother, and his retired drill-sergeant grandfather drive to the funeral.
Thursday, Oct. 27 • 7 p.m. Central Library • Fifth Street and Denver Avenue Aaronson Auditorium • 918.549.7323
See TWEENS and MAYDAY, cont’d on page 13
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Join us for a special evening with A.S. King, author of several awardwinning books for young adults including Ask the Passengers, Please Ignore Vera Dietz, Reality Boy, I Crawl Through It and more. King's latest book, Still Life With Tornado, continues her examination of how we navigate power dynamics and identity in our families and communities. A question-and-answer session will follow the author's presentation. Books will be
available for purchasing.
Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 7
The book is a delightful, well written mystery, full of village life, excellent French food, and interesting characters. It’s a great way to discover the joys of French country living, even if the peace and tranquility are disturbed by a murder or two. With Bruno on the case, the mysteries are sure to be solved to everyone’s satisfaction.
Category
Crime Fiction SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
GHOST SNIPER: A SNIPER ELITE NOVEL By Scott McEwen, Thomas Koloniar Touchstone, $24.99, 416 pages Reviewed by Michael Shulman Check this out! Scott McEwen’s new novel in the Sniper Elite series, Ghost Sniper, continues the adventures of an elite soldier, Navy Master Chief Gil Shannon. This time, Shannon’s mission is in Mexico, where he takes on a violent drug cartel that has assassinated an American politician. To make matters worse, the triggerman was also a member of the American Special Forces, code named Ghost Sniper. Now, Gil Shannon is tasked by the CIA to find the killer and expose a conspiracy at the highest levels of US government. As Gil Shannon further unravels the conspiracy, he finds that the trail goes to wealthy Swiss financiers as well as Islamic terrorists. Just like the previous three novels, Ghost Sniper is a pulsepounding military thriller novel. The plot is extremely intense, and the action is almost non-stop and quite believable. Reading the book, it feels like you’re in the middle of it all. In addition to the fluid plot, characters are developed to a certain degree. I cannot say that character development is particularly strong here, but that doesn’t matter as it is compensated by the novel’s rich plot. Overall, I quite liked Ghost Sniper. All three Sniper Elite novels have a separate mission, so they can be read out of order. However, as in the previous books, there are hints to the last novel interspersed throughout the story line. I would definitely recommend Ghost Sniper to anybody who enjoys fine military thrillers. FIRST STRIKE By Ben Coes St. Martin’s Press, $26.99, 480 pages Reviewed by Michael Shulman Check this out! First Strike is the sixth installment in Ben Coes’ Dewey Andreas series. In Coes’ latest book, the government sends Dewey Andreas, a member of a black ops program, to Syria to retrieve highly classified information. However, the mission goes awry, and Dewey Andreas is captured by ISIS. It is when Andreas is being held hostage by ISIS that he learns the dark truth: that the US government was directly involved in sending weapons to the brutal terrorist organization. However, this is far from over. In the second half of the book, the main anti-hero, Tristan Nazir, and his henchmen take hostages in a Columbia University dorm and promise to kill one student if their demands aren’t met. Ben Coes has an uncanny ability of delivering an explosive thriller. He deftly balances action, suspense, thick plot, and character development in order to create one hell of an action novel. In addition, he blends his knowledge of politics gained from working at the White House to infuse the inner workings of government and its super-secretive black ops program. Also, First Strike is ripped from the headlines, as it features ISIS as the main enemy. Plus, what sets Coes apart from all others is his ability to show the good guys’ human side in addition to all the run-and-gun action. Overall, First Strike is an extremely well-crafted novel and possibly the best of all the Dewey Andreas books. Ben Coes has definitely proven himself as an extremely talented writer. If you enjoy Brad Thor, Brad Taylor, Vince Flynn, or Tom Clancy, then you will love First Strike. FATAL PURSUIT: A BRUNO, CHIEF OF POLICE NOVEL By Martin Walker Knopf, $25.95, 320 pages Reviewed by Susan Miller Check this out! Fans of Martin Walker’s Bruno, Chef de Police series will be thrilled with Fatal Pursuits. In this novel, Bruno is attending the annual vintage car parade when he is called to investigate the death of Henri-Pierre Hugon, a retired archivist. In the village, the hunt is on for a 1930s Bugatti, which disappeared during WWII, and Bruno wonders whether M. Hugon’s death is related to this search. Before he can find out, Bruno must deal with a new romantic interest, Martine, who is trying to develop an electric car rally in the village. If that wasn’t enough, as Chef de Police he also has to deal with a local teenage bully as well as another investigation involving a prominent businessman, headed by his former girlfriend, police commissioner Isabelle Perrault.
DAMAGED By Lisa Scottoline St. Martin’s Press, $27.99, 416 pages Reviewed by Danielle Urban Check this out! Lisa Scottoline has done it again! She has once more brought readers an intriguing legal thriller that leaves readers on the edge of their seats. I liked that the characters are varied and that a child with learning disabilities is brought into the light. Just because someone is different doesn’t make them the enemy. Here, readers are taken on a deep journey that’s not just vividly physical but emotional as well. Anything that involves the law can be messy and super stressful. What really happened at a school shooting is a mystery that Mary DiNunzio will figure out...and hopefully come out of with no worries. A case that seems to be tough gets harder as she digs through the evidence. Damaged is exactly what will happen if Mary isn’t careful. Inside Damaged, readers are brought a fast-paced action thriller that will keep them turning the pages. A successful lawyer takes a case involving a young boy with dyslexia who is accused of a school shooting. Mary NiNunzio works on proving the boy’s innocence. However, what she never expected was to fall in love with the young boy. Mary is also balancing a love life that might just hold a marriage in her future. Is it possible to have everything in life, or will Mary lose what she has worked hard for? Lisa Scottoline’s novel is deeply satisfying. Every page is bone-deep in suspense. Plus, there is a lot riding on the young boy, Patrick. The whys and whos of who would want to frame a kid will perk up readers’ interest as the plot continues to roll. Abuse, family, and love are strong themes within this exciting tale. What I really enjoyed was how one smart woman was brave and bold enough to face the challenges ahead and, despite knowing what could possibly happen, committed herself to the case at hand. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this masterfully woven story. I would highly recommend Damaged to readers everywhere. BUFFALO JUMP BLUES (SEAN STRANAHAN) By Keith McCafferty Viking, $26.00, 320 pages Reviewed by Karen Collins Check this out! In Buffalo Jump Blues, Keith McCafferty transports readers to southwestern Montana, where fly fishing is a way of life and a source of livelihood. The beauty of Madison Valley is disrupted when a herd of bison wander from public land and plunge to their deaths. The efforts of Sheriff Martha Ettinger and her deputy, Harold Little Feather, are rivaled by private investigator/watercolor artist/fishing guide Sean Stranahan in a race to find the catalyst for the bison’s demise. McCafferty skillfully weaves characters from diverse backgrounds (Blackfeet, Chippewa Cree, Botswanan, Ivy League university students, activists, local fly fishermen, mermaids) into a cohesive plot focused on solving the mystery. In the process, a subplot emerges concerning the rescue and survival of a bison calf that brings together representatives of the Montana Department of Livestock; Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; Animal Damage Control; Intertribal Buffalo Council; Sheriff Ettinger; Deputy Little Feather, and others, causing conflicts along the way. Buffalo Jump Blues is highly recommended because of McCafferty’s excellent writing, engaging characters, and an abundance of action peppered with bits of interesting historical information. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS By B. A. Paris St. Martin’s Press, $25.99, 240 pages Reviewed by Christina Boswell Check this out! You’re familiar with the story: woman meets the perfect man and marries him, only to find out that he is not the person she thought he was. Behind Closed Doors takes this classic tale to a whole new level. Grace is a young woman who cares for her sister with Down’s Syndrome. She meets Jack, who is charming and shows kindness to her sister. They don’t date long before they are married, and it is not until the day after the wedding that Grace discovers how evil humanity can be. This was one of the best and most terrifying psychological thrillers I have ever read. The chapters alternate between the past and the present, beginning with the present. You can sense something is a bit off in the first chapter, but you aren’t quite sure what. Then each chapter brings you further in, to the point where you feel how Grace must feel, like no one will believe you and yet you still want to fight because someone you care deeply about will get hurt. I could not put this book down. I had to know how the story ended. The author did an amazing job. It brought to mind the verse in Proverbs, “Charm is deceitful.” We must always be aware that people who appear to be perfect most likely have secrets and that we don’t know what goes on Behind Closed Doors.
Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 8
www.TulsaLibrary.org
OCTOBER 2016
918.549.READ
A FREE MONTHLY GUIDE TO YOUR COMMUNITY LIBRARY, ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
adults & all ages BIXBY LIBRARY DIY: Using a Sewing Machine Saturday, Oct. 8 • 1:30-4:30 p.m. Learn the basics of sewing, including how to wind a bobbin, thread your machine, plus basic machine care and maintenance. Also, learn basic stitches and get started on your first sewing project. Bring your own sewing machine. For adults. Adult Book Discussion Wednesday, Oct. 26 • 2-3 p.m. Read the light crime novel "Back of Beyond" by C.J. Box and then join us for a lively discussion. Copies of the book are available for checkout. Light refreshments will be served.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY Open Book Discussion Tuesday, Oct. 4 • 6:30-7:45 p.m. Read "The Invention of Wings" by Sue Monk Kidd and then join us for a lively discussion. Copies of the book are available for checkout. For adults. Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind Fridays, Oct. 14, 21, 28; Nov. 4, 18 10:30-11:30 a.m. • Offered by the Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative, this five-session course is created to help individuals understand the many ways they can maintain a healthy brain, and improve physical and mental health. For adults. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7500 to register.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH Great Decisions: Bruce Plante Wednesday, Oct. 5 • 12:30-2:30 p.m. How controversial is cartooning
L I B R A R Y CLOSINGS
anyway? If you're Bruce Plante, editorial cartoonist for the Tulsa World, the answer is "plenty"! Join us for a lively discussion with Plante, who has won awards for exploring serious issues through comedy. For adults. BA Sidewalk Astronomers: Lord of the Bling Thursday, Oct. 6 • 6:30-7:45 p.m. Examine the many phenomena in the rings of Saturn, moonlets, shepherd moons and disruptions in the rings by constructing a model. For all ages. Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind Part 1 Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 2-3 p.m. Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind is created to help individuals and caregivers understand the many ways you can maintain a healthy brain. The series consists of four enriching one-hour sessions. Learn more than a dozen ways to improve your physical and mental health. Presented by the Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative. For adults. Registration is required. Call Devon Murray, education specialist, at 1-888-616-8161 to register.
spectacular
CENTRAL LIBRARY
GRAND OPENING Saturday, Oct. 1
Opening Ceremony, 10 a.m. Ribbon Cutting and Opening, 11 a.m. 918.549.7323
BROOKSIDE LIBRARY Brookside Book Discussion: "All Fall Down" Monday, Oct. 17 • 1:30-2:30 p.m. Join us for a discussion of this very timely novel by Jennifer Weiner. For adults. Participants should read the book prior to the program.
CENTRAL LIBRARY Books Sandwiched In Monday, Oct. 3 • 12:10-12:50 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium Michael Wallis, historian and biographer of the American West, will review "The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey" by Rinker Buck. For adults. Sponsored by Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries.
All Tulsa City-County Library locations will be closed Monday, Oct. 10 for staff training.
The grand opening features fun for the whole family, including:
• Children’s activities • Children’s interactive learning and activity center • Maker Space demonstrations • Musical performances • Food trucks
• Digital Literacy Lab demonstrations • New collection of books and materials • Roaming performers • And lots more!
Hearing loop available. Switch hearing aid to T-coil.
a d u l t s (Central Library continued)
First Friday Arts: Fiesta Friday, Oct. 7 • 4-6 p.m. Location: Tandy Children’s Garden Begin your First Friday Art Crawl at the Central Library! We will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with traditional dances, crafts and treats. For all ages. Books Sandwiched In Monday, Oct. 17 • 12:10-12:50 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium Ros Elder, a Pilates-based personal trainer who was born in London and raised in Oklahoma by a British mother and American dad, will review "The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain" by Bill Bryson. For adults. Sponsored by Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries. Art in Community Spaces: Engaging Dialogue About Dying and Living Tuesday, Oct. 18 • 6-8 p.m. Holbrook Campbell Lawson, an independent art advisor, introduces Tulsa's mobile "Before I Die" wall, part of a global interactive public art project. This is the first of a three-part series, "Dying Dialogue 2," to discuss end-of-life issues offered by Clarehouse, a nonprofit community home for the dying, in partnership with Tulsa City-County Library, Phillips Seminary and Arts Alliance Tulsa. For adults. Books Sandwiched In Monday, Oct. 24 • 12:10-12:50 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium Machele Miller Dill, director of musical theater, University of Tulsa, will review "The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built" by Jack Viertel. Includes special performance by TU students. For adults. Sponsored by Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries. Meet Author Meg Cabot! Monday, Oct. 24 • 7-8 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium New York Times best-selling author Meg Cabot will discuss her newest adult book, "The Boy Is Back." Readers will know Cabot for her adult titles such as "The Queen of Babble" and "The Bride Wore Size 12," her young adult series "Airhead," and her kids/ tween series "From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess." Of course who could forget her popular "Princess Diaries" series. A book signing will follow. Books will be available for purchasing courtesy of Barnes & Noble. For all ages. Sponsored by Harper Collins Publishing.
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Death Over Dinner: Making "The Conversation" Easier to Swallow Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 6 p.m. Location: Pocahontas Greadington Learning and Creativity Center Listen in as vignettes portray families' struggles with talking about painful subjects. Expert advice will help you facilitate your own conversations. This is the second program in a three-part series, "Dying Dialogue 2," to discuss endof-life issues offered by Clarehouse, a nonprofit community home for the dying, in partnership with Tulsa City-County Library, Phillips Seminary and Arts Alliance Tulsa. For adults.
Registration is required. Go to www. tulsa.score.org to register. For adults.
Books Sandwiched In Monday, Oct. 31 • 12:10-12:50 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium Rebecca Howard, manager of the Broken Arrow Library, will review "Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune" by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. For adults. Sponsored by Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries.
Movie: "Hocus Pocus" Wednesday, Oct. 26 • 6-8 p.m. Location: Connor's Cove Come and watch the classic Halloween movie "Hocus Pocus" (PG), starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thora Birch and more. For all ages.
COLLINSVILLE LIBRARY All Thumbs Knitters Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 12:30-2:30 p.m. • All levels of knitting expertise are welcome to join us for this fun and instructional afternoon. For adults. Family Movie Night at the Library Thursday, Oct. 6 • 6-7:30 p.m. Join us for a film the whole family will enjoy. We will provide popcorn. For all ages. Space is limited to 75 people. Collinsville Book Discussion Tuesday, Oct. 11 • noon-1 p.m. Read "Midnight Crossroad" by Charlaine Harris and then join this fun group of readers for a lively discussion. Copies of the book are available at the library's circulation desk. For adults. Sponsored by the Friends of the Collinsville Library. Patchworkers Tuesday, Oct. 11 • 6:30-8 p.m. If you want to learn to quilt or are already an experienced quilter, join us for a fun and informative evening. For adults.
HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY Simple Steps for Starting Your Business: Start-Up Basics Thursday, Oct. 6 • 6:30-8:30 p.m. Location: Pecan Room Learn the essentials of business startups, get action steps for your business and receive one-to-one mentoring. SCORE is a nonprofit association of volunteer business experts.
www.TulsaLibrary.org
DIY for Adults: Protect Your Financial Identity Thursday, Oct. 13 • 7-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab ID theft scams are often in the news these days. Don’t feel overwhelmed; take action! Amie Mitchell, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Tulsa, will show you practical steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft. For adults. Seating is limited. Sponsored by the BBB serving Eastern Oklahoma.
EPOCH: Electronically Preserving Obituaries as Cultural Heritage Thursday, Oct. 27 • 2-3 p.m. Location: Computer Lab Documenting the lives of our loved ones can be challenging. Many local newspapers charge to publish obituaries. Others have ceased publication. To that end, EPOCH, an online database, allows individuals to create tributes of family members and loved ones. Learn how to save their memories by creating a tribute on EPOCH. For adults. Registration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918 549-7691 to register.
HELMERICH LIBRARY Books People Are Talking About Wednesday, Oct. 19 • 12:15-1:15 p.m. Join us for a discussion of the modern memoir genre. Ruth Wariner's life in a polygamous family is detailed in "The Sound of Gravel." Haven Kimmel continues her best-selling series of memoirs with "She Got Up Off the Couch," and Oklahoma's awardwinning Joy Harjo has written the unforgettable "Crazy Brave." For adults. Light refreshments are provided.
books. You should read the selected book prior to the discussion. Call 918-549-7570 for book title. For adults.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY Zumba With Carlos Saturdays, Oct. 1, 8, 15 • 10-11 a.m. Location: Lecture Room Start your Saturday morning right with some fun dance moves set to upbeat Latin rhythms. Wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothes you can move in! For all ages. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust and Hispanic Resource Center. DIY Fiesta! Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11 • 4-4:45 p.m. Location: Conference Room Learn how to plan and prepare your own fiesta, complete with items such as piñatas and more! Join us for some great hands-on fun! For all ages. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust and Hispanic Resource Center.
NATHAN HALE LIBRARY Film Showing: "The Milagro Beanfield War" Saturday, Oct. 1 • 2-4 p.m. Milagro, New Mexico. Population 426. Nothing had changed here for 300 years. But there’s something about this day. Rated R; contains adult material. For ages 18 and older. Seating is limited. Sponsored by Hispanic Resource Center. Plant Swap Saturday, Oct. 22 • 1-3 p.m. Too many tulips? Not enough onions? Swap ‘em out! Bring any plants, starts, seedlings, cuttings, bulbs, tools or garden materials you have to share. You also can check out and donate seeds with the TCCL Seed Library. For all ages. Discussing Books at Nathan Hale Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 11 a.m.-noon Join us as we meet to discuss great books. For adults.
OWASSO LIBRARY
HERMAN AND KATE KAISER LIBRARY Book Discussion: "Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania" Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 2-3 p.m. Read the book and then join us for this lively discussion. For adults.
JENKS LIBRARY Book Discussion Group Thursday, Oct. 20 • 1:30-2:30 p.m. Join us for a lively discussion of great
Radical Home Economics: Waffle It! Thursday, Oct. 6 • 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. You might think a waffle iron has the sole purpose of making perfect breakfast waffles, but your waffle iron is a multitasker! Think outside the box of waffle batter mix and use your waffle iron for other foods. We're talking bacon, scrambled eggs, brownies, cinnamon rolls and quesadillas – all from your waffle iron. For adults. Registration is required. Class size is
CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH!
PROGRAMS ARE MARKED WITH THIS ICON.
a d u l t s limited. Call 918-549-7624 to register. Sponsored by Tulsa Library Trust.
RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY Book Discussion: Author Dwayne Alexander Smith's New Twist on Slavery Monday, Oct. 3 • 6-9 p.m. Location: Ancestral Hall Read Dwayne Alexander Smith’s "Forty Acres" and then join us for a unique and timely conversation. For adults. Sponsored by Tulsa Library Trust and AfricanAmerican Resource Center. My Flowetry Is Like ...: Spoken Word Workshop and Performance WORKSHOP • Friday, Oct. 14 10 a.m.-noon PERFORMANCE • Friday, Oct. 14 6:30-8:30 p.m. Location: Ancestral Hall If you and your teen share a flair for spoken word poetry, word play and creative self-expression, then join us for this spoken word workshop and performance. Javon Johnson of San Francisco will offer two programs on creative selfexpression through poetry and spoken word. The workshop is from 10 a.m. to noon. The second program is a performance of spoken word poetry, centered on adults, at 6:30 p.m. Johnson is a powerful entertainer, having appeared on such shows as HBO's “Def Poetry Jam,” BET's “Lyric Café,” TVONE's “Verses and Flow,” The Arsenio Hall Show and the Steve Harvey Show. He cowrote “Crossover,” which aired on Showtime. You don't want to miss this amazing opportunity. For teens and adults. Registration is required for the workshop. Call 918-549-7645 to register. Sponsored by Tulsa Library Trust and African-American Resource Center.
SCHUSTERMAN-BENSON LIBRARY Mystery Readers Roundtable Thursday, Oct. 6 • 2-3 p.m. Come for coffee and find out what other mystery lovers are reading. For adults.
SUBURBAN ACRES LIBRARY Grief and the Holidays Saturday, Oct. 15 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. • During the holidays we miss loved ones we have lost. This seminar will cover ways we can accept the loss, move on and begin to embrace the holidays anew. For adults.
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teens & tweens BIXBY LIBRARY Teen Manga/Anime Club Tuesday, Oct. 18 • 6-7 p.m. Discuss favorite manga characters and books and make a craft. For ages 12-18. Zentangle Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 6-7 p.m. Zentangle is an easy-to-learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. Join us as we learn to create our imaginative patterns. For ages 12-18.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY Read or Die Anime Club Thursday, Oct. 13 • 4:30-5:30 p.m. Watch anime, talk manga and eat snacks. Come in cosplay or as you are! For ages 12-18. #TCCLReadathon Saturday, Oct. 22 • 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Join us for a Teen Read-aThon in a designated quiet space. There will be break times to socialize, stretch and make a bit of noise during this drop-in program. Bring a pillow or a blanket, and a lidded beverage. For ages 12-18.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH Teen Advisory Board Friday, Oct. 7 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Work on a craft while discussing programming ideas, book recommendations and fun things to do at the library. Snacks are provided, and you'll receive volunteer hours for attending! For ages 12-18. LEGO Club Monday, Oct. 17 • 10:30-11:30 a.m. Do you like to play with LEGOS? Get hands-on experience with engineering principles as you design and build with LEGOS. For ages 5-18. In the Middle Book Group Monday, Oct. 24 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. Read "Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt and then join us for this fun discussion. For ages 9-12. Literary Tour Guides Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 6-7 p.m. Make your way through the magical world of books! Learn how to do book talks and
CELEBRATE TEEN READ MONTH!
PROGRAMS ARE MARKED WITH THIS ICON.
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participate in a fun watercolor art project inspired by your favorite literary works. Bring a copy of a book you no longer want and swap it out for a new one. We'll provide books for swapping, hot tea and lots of art supplies to spark your creativity. For ages 10-18. Sponsored by the Friends of the Helmerich Library.
CHARLES PAGE LIBRARY
BROOKSIDE LIBRARY
COLLINSVILLE LIBRARY
Draw Your Dream Teen Library Space! Oct. 1-31 • Submit drawings of your ideas for the "Perfect Teen Space" at the Brookside Library. The lobby display case will feature contest winning entries for first, second and third place. Sketch pads and pencils are provided. For ages 10-17.
Read for the Fun of It! Art Contest Oct. 1-31 • Using whatever art form you desire to create something based on reading for fun. Artwork will be displayed and voted on by the community. Prizes will be awarded for first-place winners. Entry forms available Oct. 1. For ages 10-18.
Friday Movie Time: "Hotel Transylvania" Friday, Oct. 28 • 3:30 -5:30 p.m. For ages 6-14.
CENTRAL LIBRARY Coding for Teens Thursday, Oct. 13 • 4-5:30 p.m. Location: American Electric Power Foundation Digital Literacy Lab Join us for an introduction to the basics of computer coding. For ages 12-18. Registration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7323 to register.
Movie Night: "The Nightmare Before Christmas" Thursday, Oct. 27 • 6:30-7:45 p.m. Join us for a showing of Tim Burton's classic Halloween (and Christmas!) film "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Rated PG.
Sukikyo! Anime Club Wednesday, Oct. 12 • 3:30-5 p.m. Join us as we read for the fun of it, while sampling traditional Japanese cuisine. For ages 12-18.
GLENPOOL LIBRARY Making Your Own Zine Saturday, Oct. 1 • 2-4 p.m. Learn how to cut, paste and fold your own minimagaZINE. Jessica will guide you through the process, and all supplies are furnished. Registration is required. Call 918-5497535 to register. For ages 13 and up.
Smartphone Projectors Thursday, Oct. 20 • 3-4 p.m. Location: Renee Neuwald Trust Maker Space • Build a DIY smartphone projector and turn your device into your own movie screen. For ages 13-18. Registration is required. Seating is limited. Call 918549-7323 to register.
HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY
Movies at the Garden: Zombie Double Feature Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 5:30-8:30 p.m. Location: Tandy Children’s Garden Wear your favorite zombie costume, pick your brains while working on a gruesome craft and enjoy a zombie movie. For ages 13-18.
Meet Author Zoraida Córdova Thursday, Oct. 6 • 7-9 p.m. Location: Connor's Cove Meet Zoraida Córdova, author of "Labyrinth Lost," the "Vicious Deep" series and more. Córdova will speak about her life as an author, answer questions and sign books. Books will be available for purchasing. For teens and adults. Sponsored by Tulsa Library Trust and Hispanic Resource Center.
Meet Author A.S. King Thursday, Oct. 27 • 7-9 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium Celebrate Teen Read Month by attending a presentation given by award-winning young adult author A.S. King. Listen to her talk about the life of an author and meet her afterward to get your books signed. Books will be available for purchasing. For teens and adults. Sponsored by Tulsa Library Trust.
Minecraft Gaming Thursday, Oct. 6 • 6-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab Put your imagination to the test building your own world in the popular game Minecraft. For ages 10-18.
Hardesty Teen Anime/Manga Club Saturday, Oct. 8 • 1-2:30 p.m. Location: Digital Lounge Discuss your favorite manga characters and books while making a craft. For ages 12-18.
TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY EVENT GUIDE
OCTOBER 2016
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Escape the Library! Wednesday, Oct. 12 • 4:30-8 p.m. Location: Storytime Room The Mad Librarian has trapped you in the library! You and your friends have one hour to solve the puzzles and find the door code you'll need to escape. Registration is required. Starting times will be 4:30, 5:45 and 7 p.m. Call 918-549-7555 to register for a time slot. For ages 10-13. Blood and Gore Halloween Makeup Saturday, Oct. 15 • 2-4 p.m. Location: Frossard Auditorium Come and work with the talented artists from Clary Sage College to form the perfect Halloween makeup to go with your costume. For ages 12-18. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7550 to register. Hardesty Spilled Ink: Creative Writing Group Thursday, Oct. 20 • 6-7:30 p.m. Location: Digital Lounge Develop your craft through writing exercises! Come with your own writings to share with the group, or just come to socialize and get to know other writers. All methods of storytelling are welcome. For ages 12-18. Haunted Tulsa Saturday, Oct. 29 • 1-3 p.m. Location: Frossard Auditorium Presented by the popular Tulsa Spirit Tours (www. tulsaspirittour.com), "Haunted Tulsa" will introduce you to some of the most supernatural places in town. Come prepared to witness some spooky findings during the presentation. For ages 12-18.
HELMERICH LIBRARY Read for the Fun of It! Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 6-7:30 p.m. Drop in and bring a friend, pick a book, chat and craft with other teens, as we read for the fun of it!
HERMAN AND KATE KAISER LIBRARY Spectacular Seasonal Science Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 4-4:45 p.m. Enjoy shrieking balloons, flying tea bags, glow-in-the-dark slime, and fun and exciting experiments and demonstrations. For ages 10-15.
JENKS LIBRARY Cover to Cover Teen Art Contest Oct. 3-31 • Show off your artistic skills in celebration of Teen Read Month! Draw, sketch or paint
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the cover of any young adult novel. Contest will be held all month and five winners will be announced at the end of October.
KENDALL-WHITTIER LIBRARY Gaming Thursday, Oct. 27 • 4:30-5:30 p.m. For ages 12-18.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY Teen Time Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 19 • 6-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab Play video games and socialize with others. For ages 10-18. STEAM Workshop Thursday, Oct. 20 • 1-2 p.m. Location: Storytime Castle Experiment with LittleBits and Cubelets to learn about electricity and robotics. For ages 10-14. Registration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7595 to register.
NATHAN HALE LIBRARY Craft Day: Make and Take Thursday, Oct. 13 • 3:30-4:45 p.m. Imagination is the key to creating a great craft. Come and see what you can do! We'll have face painting too. For ages 8-15. Get Your Game On Thursday, Oct. 20 • 2-3 p.m. Join us for Kinect Adventures on the Xbox or Mario on the Wii. For ages 8-16.
OWASSO LIBRARY Read for the Fun of It: Manga Edition! Wednesday, Oct. 19 • 4-5 p.m. Join us for active manga discussions and a chibi manga craft using Perler beads. Supplies are limited to 10 participants. For ages 11-16. Registration is required.
PRATT LIBRARY #TCCLReadathon Friday, Oct. 21 • 1:30-5:30 p.m. Join us for a Teen Read-aThon. Bring a book to read or chose one from the library. There will be short designated break times to talk about our books, socialize, stretch and make a bit of noise during this drop-in program. Bring a pillow or a blanket and don't forget a lidded beverage. For ages 10-18.
RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY Movie Night: "Divergent" Tuesday, Oct. 18 • 4-6 p.m. Location: Library Hall
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Hang out with us and watch "Divergent." Read the book before the meeting to discuss differences between the book and the movie. For ages 12-18.
SCHUSTERMAN-BENSON LIBRARY BYOD Teen Scavenger Hunt Oct. 11-15 • Drop in to participate in our Library Scavenger Hunt. Bring your own device (smartphone or tablet) to document your findings and then bring them to the desk for a prize. For ages 10-18. Cubelets Wednesday, Oct. 12 • 4-5 p.m. Build your own simple robot with Cubelets. For ages 9-16. The Craft Connection Thursday, Oct. 27 • 6-7 p.m. Enjoy craft making with your friends! For ages 10-15.
SUBURBAN ACRES LIBRARY Teen Read Month Challenge Oct. 1-31 • Suburban Acres Library staff are challenging tweens and teens to read during Teen Read Month and submit online book reviews at http://teens.tulsalibrary.org. Reviewers names will be used to pull for a prize at the end of Teen Read Month.
ZARROW REGIONAL LIBRARY Minecraft Night Thursday, Oct. 27 • 6-7 p.m. Location: Computer Lab Put your imagination to the test building your own world in the popular game Minecraft! For ages 10-18. Seating is limited. Teen Movie Club: Halloween Edition! Saturday, Oct. 29 • 2-4 p.m. Join us for snacks and a viewing of a classic Halloween movie! Film is rated PG. For ages 10-18.
computers, devices &
digital services BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Oct. 1-31 • Need individualized instruction on a library service? Whether you need to learn how to download eBooks or improve
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your job skills, we are here to help. Book-A-Librarian appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and generally last 30-60 minutes. Registration is required. Call 918-5497500 to reserve your time. For adults.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH Book-A-Librarian Oct. 1-31 • Need individualized instruction on a library service? Whether you want to learn how to navigate the library's website and digital services or improve your computer and job skills, we are here to help. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and generally last 30-60 minutes. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7662 to make an appointment. For adults.
BROOKSIDE LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Oct. 1-31 • Need individualized instruction on a library service? Whether you want to learn to download eBooks or improve your job skills, we are here to help. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and last 30-60 minutes. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7507 to Book-ALibrarian. For adults.
COLLINSVILLE LIBRARY Job Lab Monday, Oct. 24 • 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Make an appointment to get oneto-one assistance with your job search. Library staff will help you update your résumé, create an email address, search for jobs online, complete online applications or explore a new career in this special lab just for job seekers. You will have access to Microsoft Office software and the Internet. USB flash drives are available for purchasing, or you can bring your own to save your work. Standard printing charges apply. For adults. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7528 to register.
HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Oct. 1-31 • Receive individualized instruction from library staff. Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis and last 30-60 minutes. If you require additional time, you may make a follow-up appointment. Topics include navigating the library's website, database research, career services, computer skills, and audio and eBook tutorials. Call 918-549-7550 to schedule an appointment.
c o m p u t e r s , MS Excel 1 Tuesday, Oct. 4 • 6-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to create formulas, use automatic fill and change basic formatting. You should take MS Word 2 and have some experience using a mouse prior to taking this class. For adults. Class is limited to 18 on a first-come, first-served basis. MS Excel 2 Tuesday, Oct. 11 • 6-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to create and edit formulas, and apply functions and advanced formatting to your spreadsheets and workbooks. You should take MS Excel 1 prior to taking this class. For adults. Class is limited to 18 on a first-come, first-served basis. MS Excel 3 Tuesday, Oct. 18 • 6-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to create charts, apply conditional formatting and control the appearance of printed spreadsheets. You should take MS Excel 2 prior to taking this class. For adults. Class is limited to 18 on a first-come, first-served basis. MS Publisher 101 Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 6-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to create fun and colorful signs and fliers. You should take MS Word 2 prior to taking this class. For adults. Class is limited to 18 on a first-come, first-served basis.
HELMERICH LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Oct. 1-31 • Need individualized instruction on a library product or service? Whether you need to learn how to download eBooks or improve your job skills, we are here to help. Book-A-Librarian appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and generally last 30-60 minutes. Call 918-549-7631 to reserve your time. For adults.
HERMAN AND KATE KAISER LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Oct. 1-31 Receive individualized instruction from library staff. Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis and last 30-60 minutes. If you require additional time, you may make a followup appointment. Topics include navigating the library's website, database research, genealogy, computer skills, and audio and eBook tutorials. Call 918-549-7542 to schedule an appointment. For adults.
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JENKS LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Oct. 1-31 Need individualized instruction on a library service? Whether you want to learn to download eBooks or improve your job skills, we are here to help. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and last 30-60 minutes. Call 918-549-7570 to schedule an appointment. For adults.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY MS Word 1 Saturday, Oct. 1 • 10 a.m.-noon Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to use toolbars and menus, set margins, apply spell check, and preview, save and print documents. You should have some experience using a computer keyboard and mouse prior to taking this class. For adults. MS Word 2 Saturday, Oct. 8 • 10 a.m.-noon Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to create and format tables, use bulleted and numbered lists, and apply and format columns in a document. You should take MS Word 1 prior to attending. For adults. MS Word 3 Saturday, Oct. 15 • 10 a.m.-noon Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to create and use borders and shading, headers and footers, page numbering and drawing tools. You should take MS Word 2 prior to taking this class. For adults. MS Word 4 Saturday, Oct. 22 • 10 a.m.-noon Location: Computer Lab This class explores mail merge, and shows how to use tables to perform calculations and create onscreen forms. You should take MS Word 3 prior to taking this class. For adults. MS Publisher 101 Saturday, Oct. 29 • 10 a.m.-noon Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to create fun and colorful signs and fliers. You should take MS Word 2 prior to taking this class. For adults.
MAXWELL PARK LIBRARY Really Basic Computer Class Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 9-10 a.m. • This class is designed for new computer users who have little or no previous experience using computers, Windows, a mouse or the Internet, and
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little or no knowledge of very basic computer terms. For adults. Registration is required. Class is limited to eight on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 918-5497610 to register. For adults.
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Registration is required. Class is limited to 12 on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 918-549-7645 to register.
NATHAN HALE LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Oct. 3-31 • Need individualized instruction on a library product or service? Whether you need to learn how to download eBooks or improve your job skills, we are here to help. BookA-Librarian appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and generally last 30-60 minutes. Call 918549-7618 to reserve your time. For adults.
RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY Really Basic Computer Class Wednesday, Oct. 5 • 9:30-11 a.m. Location: Computer Lab This class is designed for new computer users who have little or no previous experience using computers, Windows, a mouse or the Internet, and little or no knowledge of basic computer terms. For adults. Registration is required. Class is limited to 12 on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 918-549-7645 to register. MS Word 1 Wednesday, Oct. 12 • 9:30-11 a.m. Location: Computer Lab This class shows how to use toolbars and menus, set margins, apply spell check, and preview, save and print documents. You should have some experience using a computer keyboard and mouse prior to taking this class. For adults. Class is limited to 12 on a first-come, first-served basis. Register is required. Call 918-549-7645 to register. Internet @ the Library Wednesday, Oct. 19 • 9:30-11 a.m. Location: Computer Lab This class is designed for people with little or no experience using the Internet. You will learn to navigate the World Wide Web and use the library's catalog system and online resources. For adults. Registration is required. Class is limited to 12 on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 918-549-7645 to register. Email 101 Wednesday, Oct. 26 • 9:30-11 a.m. Location: Computer Lab This class teaches you how to set up a free account and use it to send and receive email. You should take an Internet @ the Library class or have a familiarity with the basic functions of navigating the Internet prior to taking this class. For adults.
children BIXBY LIBRARY My First Storytime Mondays, Oct. 3, 17, 24, 31 10:10-10:30 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Mondays, Oct. 3, 17, 24, 31 11-11:30 a.m. • For ages 2-5. Storytime at Carmichael's Pumpkin Patch Saturday, Oct. 8 9:30-10 a.m. • 10:30-11 a.m. Location: Carmichael’s Pumpkin Patch, 17137 S. Mingo Road Join Miss Allyson sitting among the pumpkins as she reads fun stories about autumn. For ages 2-10. PAWS for Reading Thursday, Oct. 13 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7323 to register. Halloween Spooktacular Saturday, Oct. 22 • 10:30 a.m.-noon Join us for fun stories, games and pumpkin decorating. Pumpkins provided by Carmichael Produce (1 per child). For ages 4-12.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY Saturday Morning Movie: "Babe The Gallant Pig" Saturday, Oct. 1 • 10:30 a.m.-noon Stay in your pajamas and enjoy a fun movie at the library. For families. Preschool Storytime Mondays, Oct. 3, 17, 24, 31 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. My First Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10:30-10:50 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Explore and Play Thursdays, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-11 a.m. • Join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 1-5 and their caregivers.
TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY EVENT GUIDE
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Evening Family Storytime Thursday, Oct. 6 • 7-7:30 p.m. For ages 0-7 and their families. PAWS for Reading Wednesday, Oct. 12 • 4-5 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7500 to register. Elementary, My Dear Book Club Thursday, Oct. 20 • 5:15-6 p.m. Read about Arnie the doughnut's adventure in "Invasion of the UFOnuts" by Laurie Keller, and then join us for a discussion, fun
activities and more. For ages 5-11. Parents are welcome to attend.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. Stay and Play Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 11-11:30 a.m. • Enjoy storytime and then stay after for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 3-5. My First Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-11 a.m. • For newborns to 3-year-olds and their caregivers.
c o n t i n u e d PAWS for Reading Wednesday, Oct. 5 • 4:30-5:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, fourpawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. LEGO Club Monday, Oct. 17 • 10:30-11:30 a.m. Do you like to play with LEGOS? Get hands-on experience with engineering principles as you design and build with LEGOS. For ages 5-18.
BROOKSIDE LIBRARY Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:15-10:45 a.m. • For ages 2-5.
tulsa city-county library locations 24 Bixby Library 20 E. Breckenridge, 74008 • 918-549-7514 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 12-8; Sat., 10-5 18 Broken Arrow Library 300 W. Broadway, 74012 • 918-549-7500 M-Th, 10-8; Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5 22 Broken Arrow Library/South 3600 S. Chestnut, 74011 • 918-549-7662 M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 16 Brookside Library 1207 E. 45th Place, 74105 • 918-549-7507 M-Th, 10-8; Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5 9 Central Library 400 Civic Center, 74103 • 918-549-7323 M-Th, 9-9; Fri., 9-6; Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5 8 Charles Page Library 551 E. Fourth St., Sand Springs, 74063 918-549-7521 • M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 10-8; Sat., 10-5 2 Collinsville Library 1223 Main, 74021 • 918-549-7528 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 12-8; Sat., 10-5 23 Glenpool Library 730 E. 141st St., 74033 • 918-549-7535 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 12-8; Sat., 10-5 21 Hardesty Regional Library and Genealogy Center 8316 E. 93rd St., 74133 • 918-549-7550 M-Th, 9-9; Fri., 9-6; Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5 20 Helmerich Library 5131 E. 91st St., 74137 • 918-549-7631 M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 17 Herman and Kate Kaiser Library 5202 S. Hudson Ave., Suite B, 74135 918-549-7542 • M-Th, 10-8; Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5 19 Jenks Library 523 W. B St., 74037 • 918-549-7570 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 10-8; Sat., 10-5
3 Judy Z. Kishner Library 10150 N. Cincinnati Ave. E., Sperry 74073 • 918-549-7577 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 12-8; Sat., 10-5 10 Kendall-Whittier Library 21 S. Lewis, 74104 • 918-549-7584 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 10-8; Sat., 10-5 14 Martin Regional Library and Hispanic Resource Center 2601 S. Garnett Road, 74129 • 918-549-7590 M-Th, 9-9; Fri., 9-6; Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5 7 Maxwell Park Library 1313 N. Canton, 74115 • 918-549-7610 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 10-8; Sat., 10-5 13 Nathan Hale Library 6038 E. 23rd St., 74114 • 918-549-7617 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 10-8; Sat., 10-5 4 Owasso Library 103 W. Broadway, 74055 • 918-549-7624 M-Th, 10-8; Fri., 10-6; Sat., 10-5 11 Pratt Library 3219 S. 113th W. Ave., Sand Springs, 74063 • 918-549-7638 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 10-8; Sat., 10-5 6 Rudisill Regional Library and African-American Resource Center 1520 N. Hartford, 74106 • 918-549-7645 M-Th, 9-9; Fri.-Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5 12 Schusterman-Benson Library 3333 E. 32nd Place, 74135 918-549-7670 • M-Th, 10-8; Fri.-Sat., 10-5 1 Skiatook Library 316 E. Rogers, 74070 • 918-549-7676 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 12-8; Sat., 10-5 5 Suburban Acres Library 4606 N. Garrison, 74126 • 918-549-7655 M, W, F, 10-6; T, Th, 10-8; Sat., 10-5 15 Zarrow Regional Library and American Indian Resource Center 2224 W. 51st St., 74107 • 918-549-7683 M-Th, 9-9; Fri.-Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5
www.TulsaLibrary.org
My First Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 11-11:20 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. PAWS for Reading Friday, Oct. 21 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7507 to register. Friday Movie Time: "Hotel Transylvania" Friday, Oct. 28 • 3:30 -5:30 p.m. For ages 6-14.
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Family Fun Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10:30-11 a.m. • Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Meeting Room • For ages 5 and younger.
Stories From the Rocking Chair Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 5 and younger.
Babies, Bubbles & Books Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 19 • 10:30-11 a.m. Location: Tandy Children’s Garden Enjoy stories, rhymes and songs with your little one in this garden storytime. For newborns to 2-yearolds and their caregivers. Hands On! Thursdays, Oct. 6, 13, 27 • 10:30-11 a.m. Location: Tandy Children’s Garden Busy hands, busy brain! Join us to explore, experiment and create. Be ready to get messy! For ages 3-8. Games in the Garden Thursdays, Oct. 6, 13, 27 • 4-4:30 p.m. Location: Tandy Children’s Garden If the weather is nice, join us for some outdoor fun and games! For all ages. PAWS for Reading Saturday, Oct. 8 • 1-2 p.m. Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Meeting Room Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7323 to register. Toddlers, Trikes & Tales Wednesdays, Oct. 12, 26 • 10:30-11 a.m. Location: Tandy Children’s Garden This storytime is perfect for toddlers who like their stories while on the move. Enjoy songs and stories along with games and activities. For ages 4 and younger. Hands-On Science! Thursday, Oct. 20 • 10:30-11 a.m. Location: Tandy Children’s Garden Enjoy popular autumn crafts with a science twist. For ages 3-8. LEGO Cinema Friday, Oct. 21 • 10:30-12:30 p.m. Location: Tandy Children’s Garden Everyone loves "The LEGO Movie"! Come to the Garden to watch it again and play with our LEGOs. For ages 5-12.
CHARLES PAGE LIBRARY Storytime With Ms. Julia Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10:30-11:20 a.m. • Join us for stories, songs and fun! Every third Tuesday of the month we do a Music and Movement Storytime, so be ready to break a sweat! For ages 5 and younger with a caregiver.
PAWS for Reading Wednesday, Oct. 19 • 3-4 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust.
GLENPOOL LIBRARY Family Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-11:30 a.m. • For ages 4 and younger with their families. PAWS for Reading Thursday, Oct. 20 • 4-5 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7536 to register.
HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY My First Storytime Mondays, Oct. 3, 17, 24, 31 Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10-10:20 a.m. • Location: Storytime Room For newborns to 2 years old and their caregivers. Toddler Time Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 11-11:20 a.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10-10:20 a.m. Location: Storytime Room For ages 2-3 and their caregivers. Mr. Paul's Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 11-11:30 a.m. • Location: Storytime Room For ages 3-5. Mr. Paul's Family Storytime Thursdays, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 • 6:30-7 p.m. Location: Storytime Room • For all ages.
HELMERICH LIBRARY Stay-And-Play Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10:30-11:30 a.m. • For ages 5 and younger and their caregivers. LEGO Academy Saturday, Oct. 15 • 2-3:30 p.m. Come and join like-minded LEGOleers to build cool creations from your imagination. This will be a fun time filled with everyone's favorite interlocking bricks. LEGOs will be available, but you may bring your own. For ages 6-12.
c o n t i n u e d Looking for Fantastic Beasts? Saturday, Oct. 29 • 10:30 a.m.-noon Calling all wizards ages 8-12. Drop in and join us for games, crafts and more as we celebrate Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. Come in costume, bring your wands and spells! You may spot a Hungarian Horntail in the stacks!
parents as the first teachers of their children, facilitates early intervention, and teaches strategies for healthy child development and early literacy. For ages 1-3 and their parents. Registration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7542 to register. Sponsored by Tulsa Library Trust.
HERMAN AND KATE KAISER LIBRARY
My First Storytime Thursdays, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-11:30 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers.
Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10:30-11:30 a.m. • For ages 2-5. 1, 2, 3 Play With Me Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26; Nov. 2 10-11:15 a.m. • Join us for this fiveweek series that involves toddlers and their parents and caregivers and features local professionals who serve as resources for parents. The series also emphasizes the role of
en español BIBLIOTECA REGIONAL MARTIN Zumba Sábado, 1, 8, 15 de octubre 10-11 a.m. • ¡Diviértete haciendo ejercicio al ritmo latinoamericano! Cuentos Bilingües Martes, 4, 11, 18, 25 de octubre • 11-11:30 a.m. Cuentos, canciónes y actividades en inglés y español. Para las edades 0-5. ¡Haz tu propia fiesta! Martes, 4, 11 de octubre 4-4:45 p.m. • En esta seria de eventos puedes aprender como planificar y preparar tu propia fiesta, incluyendo hacer piñatas, ¡y más! Bienvenidos todos. 1-2-3 Jugar Conmigo Un Taller Para Padres/Niños Miércoles, 5 de octubre 10-11:15 a.m. • Acompáñenos a una serie de cinco semanas para los padres y sus niños de 1 a 3 años de edad. Cada programa ofrece oportunidades para que los niños interactúen con juguetes apropiados en un ambiente en grupo, y para que los padres consulten con especialistas de la niñez en las áreas de desarrollo del niño, el habla y el lenguaje, la nutrición, el movimiento en el juego y la música. Espacio limitado. Al partir del 26 de septiembre se podrán registrar para
PAWS for Reading Wednesdays, Oct. 12, 26 • 3:30-5 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7542 to register.
Patrocinado por el Centro Hispano y el Fideicomiso de las Bibliotecas de Tulsa. Informes al 918-549-7597.
www.TulsaLibrary.org/hrc la serie de talleres (5 en total). Para registrarse llame al 918-549- 7595 o hable con una bibliotecaria. BIBLIOTECA NATHAN HALE Cita con una bibliotecaria El 3 a 28 de octubre ¿Necesitas ayuda con algún servicio digital que ofrece la biblioteca? Para aprender cómo utilizer los libros electrónicos o mejorar la búsqueda de trabajo, concerta una cita con la bibliotecaria. Llama 918-549-7618 para hacer una reservación. Las citas duran entre 30 a 60 minutos. Para mayores de 16 años. Cambiache de plantas Sábado, 22 de octubre • 1-3 p.m. ¿Nadando en lirios? ¿Te faltan cebollas? ¡Cámbialos! Invitamos a que traigas plantas, inicios, semilleros, cortas, herramienta o materiales para el jardín que estés dispuesto a compartir. Además podrás llevar o donar semillas para con el programa de semillas para circular de la Biblioteca Semillera del Sistema bibiotecario de la ciudad y el condado de Tulsa. Toda la familia está invitada. BIBLIOTECA SCHUSTERMANBENSON Cuentos Bilingües Martes, 25 de octubre • 10:30-11 a.m. Cuentos, canciones y actividades en inglés y español.
TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY EVENT GUIDE
OCTOBER 2016
c h i l d r e n (Herman and Kate Kaiser Library continued)
Sensory Storytime Saturday, Oct. 22 • 10:30 a.m.-noon Does your child have difficulty sitting through storytime? If so, this inclusive, interactive program of stories, songs and activities may be just what you are looking for! Sensory Storytime focuses on learning with all five senses and is especially designed for children with a variety of learning styles or sensory integration challenges. Registration is required. Register online at http:// kids.tulsalibrary.org/sensorystorytime or by calling 918-549-7542. For ages 2-7 and their caregivers.
JENKS LIBRARY PAWS for Reading Tuesday, Oct. 4 • 4-5 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7570. My First Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10-10:15 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5.
JUDY Z. KISHNER LIBRARY Terrific Tuesday: FARM-tastic Fall Tuesday, Oct. 18 • 6-7 p.m. Put on your overalls and mosey on in for a barn full of fun activities for ages 5-10.
KENDALL-WHITTIER LIBRARY Bilingual Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 19, 26 10-10:45 a.m. • For ages 2-5.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY Bilingual Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 11-11:30 a.m. • Location: Storytime Castle • Enjoy stories, songs and activities in English and Spanish. For ages 0-5. LEGO Lab Thursday, Oct. 13 • 4-5 p.m. Location: Storytime Castle Learn new building ideas, partner with other children during teambuilding challenges and explore free building. Leave your LEGOs at
home and come play with ours! For ages 6-12. Class size is limited to 20 on a first-come, first-served basis. Movie Afternoon @ the Library! Friday, Oct. 21 • 1-2:30 p.m. Location: Auditorium Join us for the an afternoon at the movies, featuring "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey," complete with a fun animal craft. Rated G. For all ages. An adult must accompany children under age 6.
NATHAN HALE LIBRARY Mrs. Cindy's Storytime Thursdays, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-11 a.m. • Join us for reading adventures, music and fun. For ages 5 and younger. Craft Day: Make and Take Thursday, Oct. 13 • 3:30-4:45 p.m. Imagination is the key to creating a great craft. Come and see what you can do! We'll have face painting too. For ages 8-15. PAWS for Reading Saturday, Oct. 22 • 2-3 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust.
OWASSO LIBRARY My First Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10-10:25 a.m. • For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. Stay and Play Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 11-11:30 a.m. • For ages 5 and younger and their caregivers. Homeschool Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 • 2-3 p.m. We will read stories and make a craft. For ages 5-9. Fall Break LEGO Lab Friday, Oct. 21 • 3-4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24 • 3-4 p.m. Join us for free-building fun with LEGOS. For ages 5-10.
PRATT LIBRARY Miss Connie's Storytime Thursdays, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 10:30-11:15 a.m. • For ages 5 and younger with an adult.
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c o n t i n u e d High-Tech/Low-Tech Gaming Thursday, Oct. 20 • 2-3 p.m. Choose your game – old-school games like dominoes and cards, or high-tech games on your tablets, iPads or the library's Wii. For ages 5-12.
RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10-10:30 a.m. • For ages 2-5. LEGO Club Thursday, Oct. 13 • 3:30-5 p.m. Create and build with LEGOs. All Legos are provided by the library and must stay at the library. For all ages.
SCHUSTERMANBENSON LIBRARY PAWS for Reading Monday, Oct. 3 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required.
ZARROW REGIONAL LIBRARY Stay and Play Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-11:30 a.m. • For ages 5 and younger and their caregivers. PAWS for Reading Saturday, Oct. 15 • 2-3 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite books to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. LEGO Club Tuesday, Oct. 18 • 6-7 p.m. Create and build with LEGOs. Work on your own creation or build as a team. We provide the LEGOs, you provide the imagination. All LEGOs must stay at the library. For all ages. Family Halloween Craft Night Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. Drop in for Halloween-themed crafts ideal for ages 2-8. Costumes are welcome.
Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. My First Storytime Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10-10:20 a.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-10:50 a.m. For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Stay and Play Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 10:30-11:30 a.m. • After our regularly scheduled storytime, join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 3 and younger and their caregivers. Not-So-Scary Kids Fall Festival Saturday, Oct. 22 • 1-2 p.m. Children may wear a costume or have their face painted. We'll have games, crafts, prizes and a costume parade! For ages 3-8. An adult must accompany children under age 6. Bilingual Storytime Tuesday, Oct. 25 • 10:30-11 a.m. Enjoy stories, songs and activities in English and Spanish. For ages 3-5.
SUBURBAN ACRES LIBRARY Preschool Storytime Mondays, Oct. 17, 31 • 11-11:30 a.m. For ages 3-5.
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Free and Open to the Public If you are hearing-impaired and need a qualified interpreter, please call the library 48 hours in advance of the program. The Tulsa Book Review and Tulsa City-County Library Event Guide are printed on partially recycled paper.
The Tulsa City-County Library Event Guide is produced by the Public Relations Office of the Tulsa City-County Library. For questions or concerns, call 918-549-7389.
Category
Adult Graphic Fiction SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
SOMETHING NEW By Lucy Knisley First Second, $19.99, 304 pages Reviewed by Holly Scudero Check this out! Lucy Knisley’s love life has been long and twisty, with a longterm relationship that turned into a long-distance friendship and then suddenly turned into an engagement. In Something New, Knisley tells the story of her wedding: the good, the bad, and everything in between. Lucy, her then-fiancé, John, and their families spent a year planning this wedding, and the book chronicles all of the most important steps: the venue, the dress, the guest list, the music, the food, and so much more. Anyone who has ever planned a wedding will love to see how Lucy and John navigate the whole process while avoiding unnecessary stereotypes and outdated traditions and putting their own personal touch on the end result. Better yet, the whole thing is told in comic form, so readers get to not only hear these stories, stories that feel so honest and believable, but they get to actually see them, in a sense. The artwork is simple and clean, and it does a fantastic job depicting everyone and everything. There is so much emotion and heart included that you’ll probably end up tearing up at least once toward the end.
in Emily Winter, an actress-turned-adventurer who is prophesied to both live and die. But what does that mean? And just how long is the Advocate’s long game? This collection features one of the most labyrinthine revenge plots in DW history -- and that’s saying something -- only to turn out to be a few cogs in an even bigger plot down the line. This is Moffat-level complexity and madness orchestrated around Ten instead of Eleven, but it somehow all comes together to the reader’s grand satisfaction. Emily proves to be a worthy companion, and Matthew as the conflicted also-ran is written with depth and heart. Only the Advocate falls into cartoonish villainy where she should instead rise above. This is Doctor Who done beautifully, taking full advantage of the graphic novel medium and spinning some proper universe-spanning yarns. DOCTOR WHO: THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR VOLUME 2 SERVE YOU By Al Ewing • Rob Williams • Simon Fraser, Illustrator • Warren Pleece, Illustrator • Boo Cook, Illustrator Titan Comics, $14.99, 128 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! As one of his new companions struggles with the loss of her mother, the Doctor battles a TARDIS where time moves backward, an eternal war that comes to Earth, and the sinister ServeYou Incorporated, a company that seems to feed on the best of us and leave the worst behind. And the Doctor will have to rely on his friends more than ever if he’s to survive a diabolical trap that endangers the whole of existence. The Eleventh Doctor is tailor-made for a graphic novel series, as such an unbridled imaginative tapestry suits his goofiness, anger, emotional outbursts, and jovial demeanor. He can run roughshod here, and in Ewing and Williams’ hands, he proves to be an immensely engaging centerpiece. We get far less time with his companions Jones and ARC and interest in them suffers accordingly; however, Alice absolutely shines as a person who has suffered but will not be beaten down by the vagaries of fate. In short, she’s bloody awesome. And these three adventures suit Alice well, offering interesting stakes and unexpected twists, with the backward one a particularly mind-bending treat. AMERICAN VAMPIRE VOL. 8 By Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque DC Comics, $22.99, 144 pages Reviewed by James Rojek Check this out! In the eighth installment of American Vampire, we see Sweet, Pearl, and Poole continuing to take up the war against the ultimate Evil. The Grey Trader, a physical representation of evil, is hell-bent on getting his hands on the Iskakku, the only weapon capable of destroying the beast he wishes to unleash upon the world. The trio must split off to execute two dangerous missions; Pearl See AMERICAN, cont’d on page 13
JUSTICE LEAGUE: DARKSEID WAR - POWER OF THE GODS By Peter J. Tomasi DC Comics, $29.99, 200 pages Reviewed by Thomas Rojek Check this out! Now I am a fan of JLA, but I have kind of stopped reading for a while after the start of New 52, and this was probably not the best point to pick up at. Now, from what I gather in the storyline, the Justice League had defeated Darkseid, and in the battle Batman, Superman, Flash, Captain Marvel, and Green Lantern all gained some fraction of the godly energy that resided in him. Batman receives the Mobius Chair, a device that can take him anywhere in an instant and that gives him a way to read the minds of Gotham’s residents and to stop crime before it actually happens, and in turn, he takes a trip down memory lane. Flash is up next, and it is his burden to hold the the Black Racer and thus be reborn as the god of death, and we watch as Barry must do his best to find a way of containing the deadly force from wreaking havoc on the world. Next up is a man who always is a man who was always considered a God, but now that title takes on a whole new meaning and we see Superman after he has absorbed the solar energy of Apokalips, creating a corrupted hero. Green Lantern follows up with the army of Parademons looking for a new ruler, or God, and it is up to Hal Jordan to stop them. And last up for the Justice League, but not the story, is Captain Marvel, who finds himself with his pantheon replaced by new Gods, and they are all looking for control. And to end the story, in comes Lex Luthor, who has received the Omega energy of Darkseid, and he must find a way of controlling it. All together the story is fantastic. I love the look into each character being given the power of a god, or gods, and how it would affect them. My one major peeve with it, though, is that now I am going to have to track the storyline down so I can find out how it ended. I do recommend checking it out, but also, you probably should get the book that started this all as well.
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DOCTOR WHO: THE TENTH DOCTOR ARCHIVE OMNIBUS 3 By Tony Lee • Matthew Dow Smith • Jonathan L. Davis • Al Davison, Illustrator • Blair Shedd, Illustrator Titan Comics, $24.99, 288 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! In this mega-collection of stories from the tenure of the Tenth Doctor, set between “Planet of the Dead” and “The Waters of Mars,” the Doctor battles one of his most insidious foes ever. The Advocate seeks to both destroy him and replace him by turning one of his companions against him and outmaneuvering him at every turn. But the Doctor finds an unswerving ally Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 9
Category
Nonfiction SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
FREEDOM: MY BOOK OF FIRSTS By Jaycee Dugard Simon & Schuster, $25.00, 272 pages Reviewed by David Lloyd Sutton Gentle, thoughtful, and hopeful: honest descriptors for this second book by Jaycee Dugard. Full of discovery and of new insights into the benefits and sometimes frights of liberty, this nicely crafted tale is a kindly read. Dugard fills pages with her family, including her beloved mother, her maturing daughters, and friends. Those friends include two women who have been her therapists, some horses, dogs, and kitties. Adventures range from a first unaccompanied airline flight, complete with being stranded in a strange city, to visits to windy Ireland and tropical Belize. Dugard has formed a foundation to aid others in recovery. And using that institution as a platform, she has challenged the concept of Stockholm Syndrome as a patronizing stigmatization. She vehemently refutes the concept of captives necessarily coming to love their captors. To aid this, she offers a pungent description of the sheer repulsiveness, both mental and physical, of her own kidnapper and rapist. Even with so very much fuel, she refuses to light the fire of hatred, eschewing the self-destructiveness of that indulgence. Freedom ends on notes of hopeful anticipation. I am better for having read this, and I will now seek out Dugard’s first book, A Stolen Life. I may also seek out Scott’s Shattered Innocence. SOCCERMATICS: MATHEMATICAL ADVENTURES IN THE BEAUTIFUL GAME By David Sumpter Bloomsbury Sigma, $27.00, 304 pages Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali Check this out! Pro sports has been inundated with statistics of all sorts – some relevant, and others less so. Bookies now understand statistics well enough to make their living from it. This book uses soccer as a starting point to explain mathematics – specifically statistics and game theory. While the book does delve into “proofs” or sorts, these are more like explanations that try to elucidate underlying mathematical concepts rather than provide rigorous mathematical proofs. Chapters are divided into three parts. Part I (consisting of five chapters) focuses on the game itself. In the process, readers learn about probability distributions, tessellations, field lines, and projectile motion. Part II (consisting of four chapters) explores game strategy. Here, readers are introduced to game theory and to binomial probability. Part III (consisting of four chapters) uses the fans and bookies to introduce readers to geometric progressions, crowd behavior, and calculating expected outcomes (from probabilities). While the discussion starts with soccer, the same mathematical underpinnings are explored in other relevant topics (such as economics, social, and applied sciences). The tone is conversational, the text easy to read, and the concepts are fairly well explained for the most part. The narrative moves easily from soccer to mathematics and through other areas where the same mathematical concepts are used. Readers more seasoned in applied mathematics may question some of the book’s assumptions (such as the rationale for fitting a Poisson distribution without discussing other competing distributions), but we do have to start somewhere. Those who enjoy reading about applied mathematics are more likely to enjoy this book than those who like soccer but not applied mathematics. Overall an informative and easy read. GRIT: THE POWER OF PASSION AND PERSEVERANCE By Angela Duckworth Scribner, $28.00, 320 pages Reviewed by Aron Row Check this out! Psychologist and MacArthur Fellow Angela Duckworth is driven to both understand and help youngsters to learn and to succeed. On the basis of questionnaires she has devised, she finds that the key to success depends on a quality labelled GRIT. Basic talent, or even the measure of one’s IQ is not a determinant to becoming a champ; it is the passion and determination
that is invested in the effort that governs who will lead. Duckworth continuously cites anecdotal stories from athletes, journalists, students, and spelling-bee finalists, and the common theme that emerges is that tenacity in pursuing a goal is a key factor. Further studies are needed to find how to instill that resolution into the educational diet. There is much redundancy in the chapters extolling the virtues of grit, but it is hard to bite into more substantial meat from this delivery. The adage that mom would constantly repeat comes to mind: if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. The theme promoted by Grit seems to have been well chronicled in Malcolm Gladwell’s narrative explaining the success of Bill Gates, the Beatles, and others in his book Outliers. This is a fast and easy read, though rather lightweight. ISLAM EVOLVING: RADICALISM, REFORMATION, AND THE UNEASY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SECULAR WEST By Taner Edis Prometheus Books, $28.00, 340 pages Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali Check this out! Religious piety, modernity, injunctions of sacred texts, pluralism, tradition, secularism, professionalism, and nationhood influence the various identities of contemporary Muslims all over the world. Portions of one notion are at odds with portions in other notions. However, all of these shape Muslim identities today. How portions of these notions are highlighted, reconciled, reinterpreted, minimized, and perhaps ignored is fascinating. Most recognize that one’s surroundings and socio-economic status filters what portions from the various ideologies we accept and to what extent. This book attempts to explore these various Muslim identities for “secular Muslims.” These are Muslims who typically gravitate towards rationalism and generally embrace human rights and pluralism. Indeed, reconciling “ancient” notions of religious piety and literal interpretations of certain passages from the sacred texts with notions of pluralism and gender equality is not always easy. The text seems to suggest that novel concepts of Muslim piety that attempt to reconcile traditional notions with post-modern ones are emerging. However, there are several versions of these identities, which can be roughly divided by geographical regions. Entwined with the analysis are glimpses of a personal narrative. The questions and ensuing discussion that this book addresses are important. However, the analysis could leave some readers feeling that it is not as complete as it could be. This is an academic discussion, and the text reflects the academic style, which may make it more difficult to read. While the topic is an important one, and sorely needs to be addressed, the treatment of the subject matter could be deeper. WHAT GREAT PARENTS DO: 75 PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR RAISING FANTASTIC KIDS By Erica Reischer TarcherPerigee, $16.00, 240 pages Reviewed by Holly Scudero Check this out! There are so many parenting books out there, but most parents don’t have time to sit and read through hundreds of pages of advice. And on top of that, so many of them seem to be based in opinion and popular trends, rather than fact and basic psychology. Erica Reischer offers a life raft to parents with What Great Parents Do, a book featuring seventy-five simple ways that parents can change themselves and their parenting style for great results. The best part of this book is that it doesn’t say “do this or that.” Instead, it offers ideas for how great parents behave when dealing with their children. For instance, “Great parents see the goal of discipline as learning, not punishment.” This simple phrase, along with the accompanying description of how it applies to real life, will help parents change their mindset about how discipline looks while offering ideas to use it in real situations. Much of the content is backed up by psychological principles and real-life studies. This book is full of positive, gentle parenting practices, but each one is condensed into readable bites that readers can pick up here and there as their busy lives allow. MOTOWN: THE SOUND OF YOUNG AMERICA By Adam White With Barney Ales; Foreword by Andrew Loog Oldham Thames & Hudson, $60.00, 400 pages Reviewed by Mi-Ah Kim Check this out! When you open the glossy cover of Motown: The Sound of Young America, you find yourself immersed in an intimate experience with the music that defined an entire era and the people you have to thank for that. Photographs periodically span across both pages and alternate between the vivid and the muted. Transitional chapter pages are highlighted with bold colors reminiscent of the hues found on old vinyl labels. Text drops you into a time of social unrest as the African-American Civil Rights Movement gained traction. And near-mythic musical giants litter the pages in a way that makes you feel like an outsider who has just been invited in. Previously unpublished photographs are rendered gloriously on quality paper. Personal stories and anecdotes are delivered in a labor of love through this carefully crafted book. And you are in very capable hands with industry insider Adam White guiding you until the very end. Berry Gordy would be both proud and humbled by the level of depth and care that has gone into documenting his legendary label. See NONFICTION, cont’d on page 11
Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 10
Book Reviews
Nonfiction
HOW TO BE PERFECT: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE By Ron Padgett, Jason Novak (illustrator) Coffee House Press, $14.95, 112 pages Reviewed by Aron Row Check this out! This book is a page-turner. With the quirky cartoon scrawls of Jason Novak illustrating the whimsically absurd pontifications of Ron Padgett, the reader is whirled through a brief course on the fundamental puzzles of life. Be invited to visit foreign countries; except those where the residents might kill you, are accompanied by the depiction of a clawed biped attacking the hapless guest. Astringent advice is offered, such as to be on time but to deliver no lengthy apologies for the lateness. The accompanying drawings capture the essence of both embarrassment and chagrin. While despair is evident in some of the one-liners, hope also shines through in the prescription to think of what you would like to see happen and then to not do anything to prevent it from occurring, and the accompanying drawings accent the thought. Some of the content reminds me a a condensed version of a Shel Silverstein outlook of the world. For a quick read or a special gift, this illustrated guide provides great self help towards a cheerful chuckle and, every so often, a thoughtful frown. As the author suggests….keep your childish self alive. ROGUE JUSTICE By Karen J. Greenberg Crown, $28.00, 320 pages Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro Check this out! The 9/11 attacks brought a new ballgame to the intelligence world. The severity of the attacks and the fear unleashed changed the way the US government behaved both stateside and overseas. VP Cheney mentioned going over to the dark side, and the government would play near and over the dark side. The Bush presidency was given carte blanche by its Office of Legal Counsel, who would find innovative ways of interpreting Presidential authority. Warrantless wiretapping, torture, and extraordinary rendition would be utilized to fight the Global War on Terror. Protection of the public would be reason to subvert laws. The Patriot Act(s) would be passed under little initial scrutiny. There would be detractors seeking an assessment of the extralegal programs, but would they be heard? The actions of post-9/11 intelligence gathering have current reverberating ramifications. How much power is too much? Karen Greenberg’s book is not the first to pierce through the wall of secrecy involving the Bush White House’s War on Terror. It delves further into the backgrounds of those pursuing unchecked executive power and those looking to conduct intelligence programs legally. Greenberg also examines the Obama administration’s continuation of certain programs (Guantanamo, wiretapping) and their attempts to deal with the fall-out of the Edward Snowden revelations. This is a much needed addition to the library of post-9/11 literature, a book that still asks, “Who will watch the watchers?” A+. EVERYDAY SEXISM By Laura Bates A Thomas Dunne Book for St. Martin’s Griffin, $16.99, 416 pages Reviewed by Lane Pybas Check this out! Despite its cheerful cover, Everyday Sexism is a difficult but necessary read. It’s a compilation of stories from the Everyday Sexism Project, a website where readers can write and submit accounts of the sexism and gender inequality they have experienced in their own lives. From street harassment and sexist dress codes to workplace discrimination and harrowing accounts of rape and assault, the stories anthologized here detail countless painful incidents experienced by real men and women. Laura Bates, a journalist and the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, has grouped the stories into twelve different chapters according to their subject matter, adding her own research and interviews as commentary pieces accompanying each chapter. The result is a comprehensive portrait of gender inequality in the United States and the United Kingdom, where most of the project’s entries were submitted. It is disheartening that books being published in 2016 still have to seek to prove that sexism exists, but the stories provided in Everyday Sexism make it clear that such books need to be written. Everyday Sexism should be required reading for all men and women. CODE WARRIORS: NSA’S CODEBREAKERS AND THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE WAR AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION By Stephen Budiansky Knopf, $30.00, 416 pages Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro Check this out! Code Warriors examines the legacy of codebreakers and the enigmas solved in war and peace. The beginning of the book begins with the revelations by NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
World War II saw the significance of code breaking, with the US at work at Arlington Hall while the British worked to crack the Enigma code at Bletchley Circle. The groundbreaking work being carried out in war would be carried over to the Cold War against the Russians. The need for intelligence against the Soviets would be illustrated with the break up of the Atomic Spy Ring in the early 1950s. The spy war would be ramped up with the construction of the Berlin tunnel by the CIA, but British double agents such as George Blake and Kim Philby would undue US progress against the Russians. The NSA would be led by able leaders, but bureaucratic infighting as well as lack of cooperation with the CIA would lead to equal successes and failures. The intelligence gathered by the NSA would serve many purposes, but the ultimate question would relate to privacy and the rise of the surveillance state. Stephen Budiansky’s book relays both sides of the intelligence coin. The good, bad, and ugly are explored throughout the years. The job is not pretty, but useful. The main question is the harnessing of the intelligence once gathered and where the line is drawn. HOME SEWN By Cassandra Ellis Clarkson Potter, $24.99, 160 pages Reviewed by Amy Shane Check this out! Discover boundless projects and express your creativity through the craft of sewing with Home Sewn Projects and Inspiration for Every Room. Whether you choose to keep your projects simple and rustic or elevate them with silks and pleating, you will find over thirty step-by-step projects to fit your artistic taste. Each section of your home is beautifully represented, from restful bed bolsters and quilts to living space-enhancing lampshades and ottomans. No matter your style aesthetic, with fabric as your foundation, your creativity is limitless. Author Cassandra Ellis takes a wonderful approach to guiding readers to take that first step toward finding their personal style while decorating their home with sewn items. While many of the projects are geared toward the home, many can be given as gifts, or used simply as a beautiful way to tell a story with fabric scraps and remnants. From scrappy quilts to stuffed ottomans, many ingenious ways are explored, making this book a great asset for those looking for sewing projects as well as ways to upcycle their scraps. With easy-to-follow instructions, in both metric and standard measurements, this book is great for beginners and novices alike. DUCT TAPE BAGS: 40 PROJECTS FOR TOTES, CLUTCHES, MESSENGER BAGS, AND BOWLERS By Richela Fabian Morgan Clarkson Potter, $16.99, 208 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! Duct tape wallets, duct tape suits, duct tape prom dresses... we’ve all seen internet postings about some of the creative ways people have forged unexpected items from that most reliable and versatile of materials. But did you ever imagine that you could craft purses, totes, and messenger bags from duct tape that would look more like works of art than workman’s equipment? Richela Fabian Morgan is here to show you how to make it happen with Duct Tape Bags, a collection of her most eye-catching creations, showing off bag styles and techniques for all occasions. Not only does Morgan clearly know both her fashion styles and artistic influences, but she’s got creativity to burn. A printing error on page 12 gets things off to a rocky start, but the overall professionalism and detail in the instructions that follow help carry you over that minor misstep. Perhaps the most amazing part of the collection is her thoroughly intricate and impressive flower work, which takes these creations from utilitarian to stylish in a snap. This is DIY crafting done right. THE INEVITABLE: UNDERSTANDING THE 12 TECHNOLOGICAL FORCES THAT WILL SHAPE OUR FUTURE By Kevin Kelly Viking, $28.00, 328 pages Reviewed by George Erdosh Check this out! Kevin Kelly’s excellent, very readable writing helps in absorbing the rather complex subjects he describes in The Inevitable. He elaborates on twelve technological forces that, in twelve chapters, he claims will shape our future in the next thirty years. These are long, detailed chapters with notes and references at the end of the book. Anyone interested in common, everyday technology like artificial intelligence, cloud storage, virtual reality, or Google search will likely enjoy this book. Every chapter is long, extensive, and very detailed. Most readers will likely to read one chapter at a time, as the detailed text (though very readable) will require your undivided attention. The book is filled with fascinating information on things like artificial intelligence (you don’t teach a machine how to play; it has to learn on its own), Google search (each search costs a fraction of a cent but brings in good income through AdSense), Wikipedia (which started in 2000 with a very dubious future), and Netflix (and why so many prefer instant streaming to discs). Not every reader will be interested in immersing themselves in a single technological subject to such an extent, but those who are will greatly enjoy this volume.
Tulsa Book Review • October 2016 • 11
a gauntlet of emotions and twists and turns as secrets and the past are revealed. With her vivid and raw prose, Douglas enchants and lures readers to feel the emotional burden of pain, love, and passion. So if you are ready to be awakened by a story that was sexy, suspenseful, and mysterious, then I would recommend this book.
Category
HOW TO PARTY WITH AN INFANT By Kaui Hart Hemmings Simon & Schuster, $26.00, 225 pages Reviewed by Julia McMichael Check this out!
Fiction SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
THE BOY IS BACK By Meg Cabot HarperCollins, $10.99, 400 pages Reviewed by Melissa Smith, site manager, Bixby Library Check this out! This new title for adults, written in true Meg Cabot style, provides a unique twist for readers told through a series of text messages, emails, and journal entries similar to her title The Boy Next Door. The story begins with Reed Stewart, a rich and famous professional golfer who returns to his childhood small town, Bloomville, to help with his parents. He thought that he had left his broken heart and troubles behind many years ago and did not count on returning. In the meantime, his old flame, Becky Flowers, still lives in the small Indiana town building a successful senior relocation business. Who would guess that they are destined to meet once again when his family hires her to help save his parents? Fate always plays a hand in romance stories and it is not any different in this one. This heartwarming romantic tale is interwoven with true-to-life difficulties readers often face when a family member becomes ill and needs help. Reed Stewart’s parents are arrested for attempting to pay for a meal with a postage stamp they think is worth $400 but is actually only worth $4. This leads to upheaval among their children, and it is decided their hoarding of antiques needs to be sold so they can downsize. A small-town environment combined with the returning of a celebrity, this story leads the reader on a humorous ride. This is a must-read for those who love romance, small towns, and happy endings. New York Times best-selling author Meg Cabot will be in Tulsa on Monday, October 24 at 7 p.m. at Central Library to discuss her writings. Her warm, down-to-earth personality is exactly what you would expect after reading her books. Barnes & Noble will be there selling this title along with many others, and Meg will sign books after her talk. See you there! DON’T TEMPT ME By Lori Foster HQN Books, $15.99, 384 pages Reviewed by Danielle Urban Check this out! Don’t Tempt Me by Lori Foster is a tempting book for all. Unlike Foster’s other works, this novel has two romances going in one novel. That means double sexy, hot, and intriguing. The characters alone will keep readers hooked. I absolutely loved reading Don’t Tempt Me, and I look forward to more of Foster’s work. Inside this riveting romance, Foster introduces readers to two sets of couples. The first is a man who says he has no time in his life for romance; however, after helping his lovely neighbor next door, he’s determined to do what it takes to get closer to her. But it will indeed be a challenge because she is very guarded, and it will take time and effort before she’s willing to let anyone in. Then, readers will meet a martial arts teacher who has the hots for a woman who is known for her partying. His gut tells him to stay far away from her, but fate keeps pulling him closer to her. Two men who want nothing more than to get on with their lives end up falling in love with the woman they meet. Is this life’s way of tempting them, or is it destiny? Foster’s words will instantly have readers dazzled. I couldn’t get enough of the couples or their journeys. Love is in the air in this book. Overall, I highly recommend this contemporary romance to all readers. AWAKENED By Kate Douglas St. Martin’s Paperbacks, $7.99, 320 pages Reviewed by Michelle Tan Check this out! Kate Douglas has awakened her readers to a story that is filled with suspense, family, and romance. Though this is not the first book that I have read from Douglas, this is the first book that I have read of the series. While I didn’t read the first two books of this series, Awakened can be read as a standalone. In this gripping story, Douglas takes her readers on a journey of a hero is who haunted by nightmares that plague him. Marcus is wondering if he strangled a woman or not. And it is there he turns to his friend and lover Mandy for support, love, and guidance. And, through the help of Mandy, readers are put through
“The exchanges usually end with a gale of laughter. One such gale is particularly explosive, so powerful in fact that they don’t hear the front door open and the pitter-patter of little feet. It takes Annie a moment to notice a little girl in her kitchen, wearing a brown onesie with a kangaroo on it and a pink tutu-like skirt with an embroidered pouch.” The premise of this novel is very entertaining. A single girl in a “committed relationship” becomes pregnant, but it turns out that her boyfriend is elsewhere engaged, literally. So how to navigate single parenting in the big confusing city of San Francisco, where moms’ clubs are forged along economic and social strata? Likewise, babysitters need rich clients for maximum paydays, not a struggling work-from-home mom who enters cookbook contests. Then Mele, the heroine, has to face up to her boyfriend’s wedding with someone else because their daughter is to be the flower girl. Naturally, in this type of book, it all ends happily for our heroine, although another marriage is destroyed. In a book about being a mom, the children don’t seem fully realized; they seem like props to the grown-up story. Kai Hart Hemmings is a good enough writer, but her creative story deserves a better and more realistic ending. Also, some of her satire of moms is so sharp and biting that it seems misogynistic. Of course, some is outright funny and entertaining. I had hoped to like this book more than I did. BY THE NUMBERS By Jen Lancaster NAL, $27.00, 304 pages Reviewed by Rebecca Williams Check this out! Penny loves numbers. They always make sense, they always add up, and they always foretell the future. What she doesn’t love is people. They do not always make sense, nor add up, and definitely do not foretell the future. It does not make sense for she and her husband to have separated after more than twentyfive years of marriage. It does not add up that her daughters-Kelsey, about to be married, and Jessica, on her own in New York--expect Penny to atone for unknown wrongs from childhood. And the future does not look good, as her parents, who insist on being called Marjorie and Max, enjoy social events in an effort to hide the real issue. She really just wants to get her promotion at work, move into a smaller house, and enjoy a little bit of peace, but the people just don’t work out like numbers. The story is told in flashbacks and E-mails, so readers get the full picture of Penny’s life. Lancaster has come back with another funny, touching story, a great representative of chick lit--one that can be passed from friend to friend until the numbers don’t matter but the laughs do. AS GOOD AS GONE: A NOVEL By Larry Watson Algonquin Books, $26.95, 400 pages Reviewed by Margo Orlando Littell Check this out! When Bill and Marjorie Sidey have to go out of town for Marjorie’s surgery, Bill asks his father, Calvin, to stay with the children. But Calvin Sidey isn’t just any grandfather. Living alone in a trailer far from other people, Calvin is a relic of the Old West--with a reputation solidified by a violent act he committed years ago. Though Ann and Will are old enough to operate mostly independently, they’re both facing dangers: Ann from a rough, too-persistent boyfriend, and Will from a gang of unsavory friends. When Calvin decides it’s time to intervene, he does so according to his own code of morality and justice--acting out of a kind of love but also resolutely pushing those who love him away. Watson’s tough, spare prose breathes life into Calvin in every scene and offers no room for too much introspection or wavering hesitation. Calvin is too much of a cowboy for that. But make no mistake, he’s quick to tell his grandson there’s no romance in the cowboy life. Calvin knows who he is, and he knows what he’s capable of. A character that is dead-set against change will break your heart--and leave readers wanting to follow him long after this beautiful novel ends. HEROES OF THE FRONTIER By Dave Eggers Knopf, $28.95, 400 pages Reviewed by Owen Hamill Check this out! With her dental practice in ruins and the father of her children in Florida with another woman, Josie heads to Alaska with her two children, Paul and Ana. She has a step-sister in Alaska, but otherwise knows no one and has no plan, only a desire to See HEROES, cont’d on page 13
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HEROES, cont’d from page 12 escape her life in Ohio. In a rented RV that Josie is occasionally too drunk to drive, they drive across the state, fleeing not just the mistakes that haunt Josie but a raging forest fire engulfing the state. Although the reader learns about the trauma in Josie’s past, none of it is as compelling as her relationship with her children. She loves them unconditionally, but curses them for “giving her everything and robbing her of everything else.” She would do anything for them but ignores their need for stability and routine. For Josie, stability is stagnation; routines are either short-lived or suffocating. So they continue to settle in for the night, only to pick up and move out the next morning, destination unknown. For a while, they can run from everything but each other. But running becomes its own routine, and it’s not until they stop that Josie realizes how far they’ve come. CONTRARY MOTION: A NOVEL By Andy Mozina Spiegel & Grau, $26.00, 288 pages Reviewed by Tammy McCartney Check this out! Matt Grzbc has one unshakeable ambition: to become the lead harpist in a major orchestra. He is currently practicing to audition for the St. Louis orchestra, one of the ten best in the country. Left to his own devices, Matt would solely dedicate himself to audition prep, but his life is in turmoil. Recently divorced, Matt is trying to navigate the single man’s world by dating an ambitious and beautiful lawyer. He’s also doing his best to help his troubled daughter. Add to this a recently deceased father, a new gig playing for hospice patients, and troubles with performance in the bedroom, and Matt’s focus isn’t what he’d like it to be. Is the harp the most important thing in Matt’s life? What will he sacrifice to achieve his goal? Matt Grzbc is a difficult character to like. Self-obsessed and self-centered, Matt used to pride himself on his robot-like demeanor and dedication. Even he realizes that demeanor is not going to bring him closer to the people he loves. His neuroses are supposed to be funny, but I thought they were sad. I found it hard to watch him flounder and to botch one interaction after another. Perhaps a male audience would be more understanding and empathetic to his situation, particularly his struggles with intimacy. BEFORE WE VISIT THE GODDESS By Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Simon & Schuster, $25.00, 224 pages Reviewed by Tammy McCartney Check this out! Three generations of headstrong Indian women struggle to accept the circumstances of their lives and grapple with their relationships with their mothers. The narrative begins with Sabitri. An intelligent and ambitious young girl, Sabitri longs to go to university, but her parents, a part-time priest and a village sweet-maker, could never afford the tuition. When a capricious matron offers tuition and a place in her home in the city, Sabitri thinks her dreams have come true. She is mistaken. Later, her daughter Bela has different dreams. Bela abandons her education and her family to elope to America with a student leader of the Communist Party. Bela’s fantasies of love also disappoint. Finally there’s Tara. The product of parental dissension and her mother’s cultural isolation, Tara doesn’t exactly know who she is or what she wants. Before their stories end, each will come to better understand her relationship with her mother and wish she’d valued the relationship more. Before We Visit the Goddess was almost painful to read because of Divakaruni’s skill in rendering realistic characters. I felt the women’s isolation, their regret, and their powerful longing for love. Though the protagonists are Indian, Divakaruni has managed to highlight the fault lines, the difficulties in communicating, and the enduring love present in most, if not all, mother/daughter bonds.
TWEENS and MAYDAY, cont’d from page 7 survive, but “After” really begins when Wayne wakes up and finds that he has an L-shaped scar across his face, that his throat is injured so he cannot speak, and that Grandpa has come to live with them. Wayne learns much about himself and his family as he searches far and wide for Reed’s flag. Author Karen Harrington writes books that are full of heart, with great characters readers will care deeply about and stories that are memorable and important. This is no exception. Her writing is lyrical, and difficult topics are deftly written. This warm, wonderful coming-of-age book deserves readership far beyond a middle-grade audience. ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE PERRY T. COOK By Leslie Connor Katherine Tegen Books, $16.99, 400 pages Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck Perry T. Cook was born in prison. That’s not so uncommon, but a smart, kindly warden takes him on as her foster child and allows Perry’s mother to raise him in the small, minimumsecurity prison in Surprise, Nebraska, where he is loved and raised right by a large, extended family. Everything is fine until a new DA comes to town and discovers this unusual arrangement. The DA is a do-gooder who decides Perry would be a lot better off with the DA and his family, and Perry’s mother hasn’t really properly served her time since she was allowed to have her child with her. When Perry gets a school assignment that allows him to tell the stories of some of the prisoners and finally learn his mother’s whole story, it changes everything. This is truly a story of love, friendship, hope, and redemption all packed into a coming-of-age novel that will capture readers’ hearts. The characters are rich and complex, the setting is unusual and will fascinate young readers. The writing is superb and the storytelling is terrific. This book deserves a wider readership than the middle-graders for whom it is intended. A real winner!
AMERICAN, cont’d from page 9 must break into a top-secret military base to recover the weapon Iskakku with the help of Felicia Book, Senior Director of the VMS, and Brun, a gargoyle with spit so acidic it might be their only hope at escape. Meanwhile, Sweet and Poole must launch themselves into space to intercept a roll of tape that could very well start all-out nuclear war with the Russians. What evils will fall in the way of their missions, and can they succeed without the enemy intercepting their every move? Snyder’s story will take you on a wild ride of secrecy, vampires, and Armageddon, while Rafael Albuquerque’s art will transfix your eyes with detailed and disturbing visuals, keeping your fingers flipping through the pages until the final story-shaking moments of this excellent volume.
Meet Author MEG CABOT
THE LITTLE OLD LADY WHO BROKE ALL THE RULES: A NOVEL By Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg Harper Paperbacks, $15.99, 400 pages Reviewed by Holly Scudero Check this out! Martha Andersson and her friends aren’t happy about the recent cost-cutting that’s been going on in Diamond House, their retirement home. Determined to continue living life to the fullest, the group hatches a plan to commit a crime and go to prison, where the living conditions are surely better. But being criminals is more complicated than they thought, and the situation quickly grows beyond anything they’d imagined. Readers are sure to love Martha, Brains, Christina, Rake, and Anna-Greta, the delightful group of retirees that star in The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules. Author Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg has written a truly fun and enjoyable novel here, with spunky main characters, a cunning plot, great supporting characters, and even a little bit of romance. The story is funny and easy to read; readers will want to make it all the way to the end to see if the oldies manage to pull off their perfect crime in the end and get the ultimate retirement they dream of. There’s just enough real-life crime facts to make the story realistic without it suffering under the weight of the details. This is a wonderful novel!
Monday, Oct. 24 • 7-8 p.m.
Central Library, Aaronson Auditorium Fifth Street and Denver Avenue, 918.549.7323
New York Times best-selling author Meg Cabot will discuss her newest adult book, The Boy Is Back. Readers will know Cabot for her adult titles such as The Queen of Babble and The Bride Wore Size 12, her young adult series Airhead, and her kids/tween series From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess. Of course who could forget her popular Princess Diaries series. Put on your tiara and boa, grab a friend and get ready for a delightful evening. A book signing will follow. Books will be available for purchasing.
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THE BRIDGE LADIES: A MEMOIR By Betsy Lerner Harper Wave, $25.99, 320 pages Reviewed by Aron Row Check this out!
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Biographies & Memoirs SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
The author, Betsy Lerner, not only records a touching memoir of her relationship with her apparently reticent mother, but at the same, time provides a sociological study of the contrast between female expectations before the 1960s and those behaviors prevailing now after The Pill. And what better way to list the differences than through the metaphorical game of bridge. Over the span of time, women’s goals have changed from seeking early marriage with servitude to some male who will be a good provider and caring father to the current quest for self-fulfillment and identity. Each of the five octogenarian bridge participants has her life reviewed, exposing youthful talents denied expression by the cultural limitations of their era, and contrasted with the current feminist stress of expressing individuality and taking on personal responsibility. Not only is learning the game of bridge challenging, but struggling to translate the values and behaviors that mark the differences in the generation gap strains the understanding. Bridge is the catalyst that awakens compassion between mother and daughter. Written with snappish humor and with keen delicacy for the bridge players’ personalities, this is a rewarding book to remind us how time refashions thoughts as the world turns. SHOE DOG: A MEMOIR BY THE CREATOR OF NIKE By Phil Knight Scribner, $29.00, 400 pages Reviewed by Joseph Arellano Check this out!
THREADING MY PRAYER RUG: ONE WOMAN’S JOURNEY FROM PAKISTANI MUSLIM TO AMERICAN MUSLIM By Sabeeha Rehman Arcade Publishing, $25.99, 352 pages Reviewed by Jane Manaster Check this out! Sabeeha Rehman has met successive challenges in adapting to modern America since marriage brought her to New York from her traditional Muslim Pakistani family in 1971. Her memoir reveals how she became a guiding light for other immigrant Muslims seeking a place in often ignorant and unwelcoming surroundings. When her physician husband’s career and her young sons’ schooling enabled her to continue her studies, she become a hospital administrator and found time to develop cultural and social ties for the initially small Muslims community on Staten Island. The book, compelling on several fronts, shows how much energy she expended, holding tight to her own religious practices while helping to organize a mosque for Muslims who immigrated from countries beyond her own homeland, launching a newsletter for those keen to stay in touch with their traditions while adapting to an American lifestyle, staging a children’s play showcasing famous Muslims of the past, and taking a seat on several organization boards. Each challenge is described with a sense of fun as well as achievement, none more enjoyable than the Muslim Fair held on Mother’s Day, when women competed for a raffle prize, circumventing the Muslim ban on gambling by allowing free entry. The segments switch back and forth from her early years to the present, each clearly identified to allow no mistake about the what and where of the events she describes. Threading My Prayer Rug will inevitably receive plaudits, and hopefully many will mention Rehman’s astute, witty, and endearing style as she tells a story that began with a lastingly successful arranged marriage. THE JOLLY ROGER SOCIAL CLUB: A TRUE STORY OF A KILLER IN PARADISE By Nick Foster Henry Holt and Co., $28.00, 268 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! When the eccentric Wild Bill and Jane Cortez joined the American expat community in Bocas del Toro, a secluded bit of Panama many would call paradise, no one suspected the destructive forces that had just moved into town. It would be years before friends and acquaintances discovered the truth: two vipers were in their midst, charming neighbors before murdering them and seizing their property under the guise of real estate investments. The Jolly Roger Social Club is the circuitous investigation into the lethal crime spree of William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese, aka Wild Bill and Jane Cortez. A thorough, if slowpaced, reconstruction of their lives in Bocas del Toro, their vicious crimes, and the aftermath of their capture, the book tries valiantly to separate fact from Holbert’s many psychotic flights of fantasy. But the narrative falters when Foster twice delves deeply into the history of Panama itself, abandoning its core narrative for laborious, unnecessary detail that could’ve been summed up in a few paragraphs. These digressions feel more like padding than backstory. Nonetheless, when he remains on target, Foster delivers an intriguing, horrifying look at two predators at work.
Phil Knight’s memoir is a wildly entertaining look at the founding - a difficult one - of the world’s most successful athletic company. As Knight makes clear, the path forward was never easy. He began by cooperating with the Onitsuka Company of Japan (now Asics) to sell its shoes on the West Coast of the U.S.; and he eventually went to war with the company. Shoe Dog shows us the value of grit, as Knight and his early partners were often down but never quite out. He also fully acknowledges the many instances in which luck, pure luck, was on his side. This is not only Knight’s personal and professional tale, it is also the story of two major figures of the early days of the running movement: Coach Bill Bowerman of Oregon, inventor of the waffle sole, and Steve Prefontaine. Go Pre! If Knight was the mind of Nike, these two legends constituted its soul. Oddly, this account appears to have been written back in 2007. Very late in the story, Knight refers to Nike’s sales “last year,” in 2006. No matter; this is an inspirational work that’s well worth reading. LOVE FROM BOY: ROALD DAHL’S LETTERS TO HIS MOTHER By Donald Sturrock, editor Blue Rider Press, $26.00, 336 pages Reviewed by Jane Manaster Check this out! Roald Dahl, born a hundred years ago of Norwegian immigrant parents in Wales, was schooled in England, adventured in Newfoundland, worked in Kenya, flew war planes in the Middle East…Even this geographical teaser intimates a remarkable life. In the hands of a marvelous writer, the places became steeped in exploits of one kind or another. Dahl’s letters to his mother, a determined and resourceful widow who raised seven children, were written between 1925-1965 and reveal a frankness to which parents are not always privy. While detailed in varying degrees, they seem not to conceal foibles, successes, and excesses. Editor Donald Sturrock invites us to share Dahl’s school years (early commonplace ones could have been skipped) and the high school ones that allow us to compare adolescence in the 1930s with today’s. Far more readable, the letters written during World War Two--when Dahl served as a Royal Air Force pilot--describe his sense of excitement until he received serious injuries when his plane crashed over the desert in Egypt. After a lengthy recovery period, he was chosen for a prime post in Washington that was not entirely satisfactory on either side. America presented new adventures that included a spell enjoying the glamour and intensive work under Walt Disney’s wing in Hollywood and, more lastingly, his writing career, launched with articles in widely-read magazines like theSaturday Evening Post. The letters offer a new perspective of the versatile author but come across as choppy, with gaps suggesting a length limit to the book. To avoid laying blame on Sturrock, the sterility is no doubt due in part to the nature of personal correspondence. They are not compelling and miss the enchantment of Boy. LASSOING THE SUN: A YEAR IN AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS By Mark Woods Thomas Dunne Books, $26.99, 320 pages Reviewed by Stacy Shaw Check this out! Lassoing the Sun is author Mark Woods’ chronicle of the year he spent traveling America’s National Parks. Though the story originally was to center on Woods’ travels to the parks, it took a See LASSOING, cont’d on page 15
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LASSOING, cont’d from page 14
Science & Nature
different turn when his mom was diagnosed with cancer and given only a few months to live. The resulting narrative has a nostalgic tinge to it, as Woods lost his mother halfway through the year, and the peace he sought in the parks took on another layer. Woods provides a personal approach to his book, interviewing park officials and giving an insider look at the actual issues going on in each park he visits, such as the battle over noise pollution going on in Olympic National Park. He also introduced some lesser known parks like Dry Tortugas National Park. The book did feel a bit disappointing in how few parks actually were visited. Obviously traveling is costly, and it is understandable that Woods needed to stay closer to his mom in the first part. However, it seems like there should have been more than one park visited a month-at least in the second half--given the subject matter. That issue aside, the writing is approachable, and Woods brings his own life stories and experiences into play. The result is a relaxing travelogue with heart to it.
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KICK: THE TRUE STORY OF JFK’S SISTER AND THE HEIR TO CHATSWORTH By Paula Byrne Harper, $29.99, 352 pages Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro Check this out! Kathleen Kennedy’s life has been relegated to the background. Kick by Paula Byrne sheds light on the unknown. She was the fourth child to Rose and Joseph Kennedy. Her life would be complex, raised by a devout unaffectionate mother and doted on by her businessman father. Kick formed a strong bond with her older brothers, Joe Jr. and John, that would be omnipresent throughout their lives. Kathleen bucked at the cloistered life; she was the object of affection of many, but she shied from romance until she met Billy Cavendish of Hartington. She would begin a periodic relationship with Cavendish, meeting with disapproval by both families. Kick’s professional life would see success as a journalist, and her caring nature would lead to a stint in the Red Cross. Her star-crossed relationship with Billy would lead to marriage in 1944, but tragedy in war would make the marriage short-lived. Her own time would be short-lived, but Kathleen would live it to her utmost. Paula Byrne has crafted a well-written biography about one of the diamonds in the rough of an American dynasty. The stories of the Kennedys and the tragedies endured are well known and told, but the love in this family and the bonds between some of the brothers and sisters are heartrending. This is a biography that is timely and precious. A gem. DOUGLAS MACARTHUR: AMERICAN WARRIOR By Arthur Herman Random House, $40.00, 960 pages Reviewed by C.D. Quyn Check this out! Herman distinguishes his book from the stack of more than twenty-five biographies written about MacArthur by grappling with a deeper issue than the public debate following his shocking dismissal by Truman in the midst of the Korean war. “America’s greatest war hero found himself dismissed by America’s least popular president...” Rather than simply regurgitating the well-worn arguments, Herman exposes the shift of American values: “How have historians dealt with his legend, and how has the making of the legend obscured the truth, and the man underneath?” This chronicle of MacArthur’s life explores the events that shaped him, from his becoming the most decorated soldier to survive the First World War to the savior of the Pacific theater in the Second World War and to the genius of Inchon, Korea. This author turns these episodes inside-out to examine how they were perceived then, by MacArthur’s enemies and allies alike, and now by those who would demonize him or venerate him. By the end, the reader peers beyond the perception of the image MacArthur presented, “like that of a knight of the Middle Ages,” and broadens the view to comprehend something fundamentally changed in the American psyche about what constituted a hero at the beginning of the last century and our lack of heroes now. BUSH By Jean Edward Smith Simon & Schuster, $35.00, 832 pages Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro Check this out! George W. Bush has been out of the White House for seven years. Jean Edward Smith’s look at the 43rd President is comprehensive. George W. Bush was born a child of privilege. George W. would spend much of his early life in elite schools, coasting on average grades and charm and looking for his place in the world. His indiscretions would be quashed by his father’s burgeoning connections in the political world. George W. was on the road to nowhere. All would change once he gave up alcohol and found Jesus Christ at 40 years of age. He would take control of his life and throw himself into his father’s campaigns for President. This would stoke the fires within and lead to his successful run for the Texas Governorship in 1994, his re-election in 1998, and the eventual sprint to the White House in 2000. He would hold himself accountable as “The Decider,” and that would be for the best and worst. In many cases the latter. Jean Edward Smith’s biography doesn’t pull punches. Smith is tough, but fair, on the Bush Presidency, calling Bush out on the Iraq debacle, the Afghanistan quagmire, and the Katrina disaster, while praising his work on AIDS, education, and Medicare. Bush is seen through a bipartisan microscope, with the facts guiding the reader to judge the years of 2001-2009. An A+ political biography!
UNDER THE STARS: HOW AMERICA FELL IN LOVE WITH CAMPING By Dan White Henry Holt and Co., $28.00, 401 pages Reviewed by George Erdosh Check this out! Can anyone write a 350 page book on camping? It seems author Dan White could in Under the Stars. The book is almost entirely text, with an occasional small illustration of historic camping photos and simple sketches of people he is writing about. The book is not so much about camping (and is certainly not a camping guide with checklists, warnings, and advice), but rather a book in which camping, nature, and wilderness are the central focus of many, many stories that happened to White while camping and hiking. The stories (and White’s writing) are humorous, though the humor often appears somewhat forced and not to everyone’s taste, such as when he tries to rent a car with a long-expired driver’s license in Montreal. Each episode is in a chapter - rather long chapters - like his camping trip in the Adirondacks, which is a full thirty pages of text. Obviously, White’s writing is rather verbose, and many readers are likely to lose interest trying to follow the stories. The chapters are filled with historic musings of camping, wilderness, and significant eighteenthcentury characters as well as colorful characterizations of wilderness guides and fishing guides in White’s life. Extensive chapter-by-chapter notes close the book. RESTLESS CREATURES: THE STORY OF LIFE IN TEN MOVEMENTS By Matt Wilkinson Basic Books, $28.99, 320 pages Reviewed by Gretchen Wagner Check this out! This book presents the intriguing hypothesis that human evolution has been directed by the need for locomotion. It is a fascinating theory and well-supported in this excellent book. This book assumes some familiarity with different branches of science such as biology, chemistry, and physics, but an educated reader will enjoy author Matt Wilkinson’s infectiously enthusiastic writing style, which, while it doesn’t shy from technical, scientific, or medical terminology, is easy to follow and keeps the reader from getting lost in details. The book starts with a detailed analysis of how humans move – walk, run, skip – and compares that to other animals. But this leads to the question: Why do we differ, and where, when, and how did the changes take place? Each succeeding chapter travels further back in evolutionary time to a major shift in locomotion. Various competing hypotheses are presented – science is still open canon – and the narrative is peppered with allusions to literature and history and enlivened with photographs and explanatory diagrams. And it’s a lot of fun. Reading it, you will be surprised by questions you never considered and amazed at the wonder of evolutionary adaptation that brought us to our current form. ON TRAILS: AN EXPLORATION By Robert Moor Simon & Schuster, $25.00, 352 pages Reviewed by Aron Row Check this out! This exploration of trails by environmentalist Robert Moor leads the reader into a rhapsodic review of our world from the microscopic to the global. Reflecting through philosophy, literature, science, anthropology, history, and his perceptive observations, this author demonstrates how the creature and man-made paths have shaped history. Ant trails serve as an information track, animal trails lead to fodder, early American Indian footpaths fostered communication, and many of these trails were eventually widened for wagons and then paved into roads and highways. Stitched into this exceptional saga about the evolution of trails are his accounts of his hiking addiction, especially on the Appalachian Trail, which he has covered from bottom to top. He joyfully recounts his progress along the trail, and even reveals his misadventures. Currently he is pushing for an international Appalachian Trail. Anecdotes about other hikers spike the stories, as he tries to expose the inner calling that induces this walking obsession. This phenomenal book is magical reading, and Robert Moor has an extraordinary gift for meshing a scholarly background with an insightful environmental awareness. This writer joins David Quammen as a magnificent nature writer.
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