Tulsa
Book Review TULSABOOKREVIEW.COM
FEBRUARY 2017
In honor of African-American History Month... Take a new look at the Tulsa Race Riot at BookSmart Tulsa Page 2
Meet Omar Tyree, NAACP Image Award winner and Urban Literacy Project founder Page 5
Read Loving vs.Virginia
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Inside
49
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INSIDE
Family Life SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS By B.A. Paris St. Martin’s Press, $25.99, 293 pages Reviewed by Theresa Bond-Mason Check this out! Behind Closed Doors is a debut novel by B.A. Paris and immediately draws you in with the tagline “The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?” Set in England, the story starts out promising for the main character, Grace, when she takes Millie, her sister with Down syndrome, for her weekly visit to the park. It’s there she sees a man she thinks doesn’t exist – a man who not only takes interest in Grace, but also seems to enjoy Millie. Hesitant at first, Grace agrees to go on a casual date with Jack with Millie in tow. The relationship progresses quickly, and Jack pops the question and Grace can hardly believe that not only has she found love, but also someone who has promised to take care of her sister. Jack, anxious to start their new life, has promised to find the perfect house for the three of them and promises to surprise Grace with it as soon as they get back from their honeymoon in Thailand. As soon as they arrive in Thailand, Jack reveals his real plans for Grace and Millie, and without spoiling the plot, it’s not to live happily ever after. Upon returning to England, Jack and Grace seem to be the perfect couple to everyone they encounter, including co-workers, neighbors and friends. Grace’s life literally depends on keeping up appearances. They have the perfect house, host the perfect dinner parties and seem to have the perfect marriage. But, it’s Millie who sees through the façade and ultimately saves the sister who wanted to save her. Although the chapters alternate between past and present, the book is not only easy to keep up with, but difficult to put down. At times the plot is fairly predictable, however the author seems to keep surprising the reader with twists that make you turn the next page even quicker. The book is a quick read ... just make sure you don’t have anything to do for an afternoon, because you won’t want to put it down!
4 3 2 1: A NOVEL By Paul Auster Henry Holt and Co., $32.50, 880 pages Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro Check this out! Archibald “Archie” Ferguson was born in 1947. His grandfather, Ichabod, came to the United States with an idea for a name, but in his garbled utterance, left his name up to Ellis Island officials. His father, Stanley, struggled and worked his way up, while his mother, Rose, had an easier road. Stanley and Rose married, multiple miscarriages proved frustrating until the birth of Archie. Archie’s life would be colored by his imagination, making up a sibling, his grandmother teaching him to read and write. Archie is smart and would forge onto different paths: One cut short by an early demise, one as a sexually confused young man attempting to find his way, having his baseball dreams cut short by a horrific accident, and the last whose adolescence is influenced by an early trauma. Each path is decorated with love, ambition, success, and heartbreak. Archie’s parents relationship evolves or dissolves in each chapter. The times change, and so does Archie. 4 3 2 1 is a moving narrative of one young man’s life and the various turns life can have in store. Archie Ferguson makes for a empathetic protagonist as the reader roots for his success in life and love. Paul Auster has crafted a masterpiece in storytelling about life and fate. There is no mystery in what this book brings to the field of fiction. This is one of the first must-reads of 2017. THE AFTERLIFE OF STARS By Joseph Kertes Little Brown and Company, $26.00, 256 pages Reviewed by Lauren Stafford Check this out! The Afterlife of Stars by Joseph Kertes was a very unusual book and hard to get into. The subject matter—the flight of people fleeing the Russian invasion of Budapest against the Hungarian Revolution—was a very intense topic, but that was not the cause of concern. The difficulty of reading this book was from the synSee AFTERLIFE, cont’d on page 13
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thoughts become a reality. Overall, this book was okay. You want to know what their secrets are, so you keep reading, and you’re honestly not sure how far the characters will go. However, it became more of just a drama between four women who each think their secret is the worst when really it’s like most other people’s on the planet. There was hardly any mystery to this book, which I found disappointing. But if you like stories about friends working through their issues to be best friends forever, then you’ll enjoy this one.
INHERITING EDITH: A NOVEL By Zoe Fishman William Morrow Paperbacks, $15.99, 320 pages Reviewed by Caryn Shaffer Check this out! As a housekeeper and single mother in New York City, Maggie Sheets gets a shock when an old friend, Liza, dies and leaves her with a substantial sum of money and a house in Sag Harbor. Along with the house, Maggie inherited Liza’s aging mother, Edith, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Liza had committed suicide, and, while Maggie hadn’t spoken to Liza in years, she was still moved by the loss. Maggie must help Edith move on from Liza’s death, even while Edith forgets faces and names and struggles with secrets of her own. As Edith unveils some of her past, Maggie is motivated to confront some of her own skeletons, too. It is clear that the author wrote the characters in this story thoughtfully and with great care. Zoe Fishman captures perfectly the dynamic of the sandwich generation -- older adults who are still caring for youngsters but who must take on the additional responsibility of an aging parent. The narrative is stressful and weighted with grief, studded with few happy moments. Pick up this book for memorable characters and a heartfelt story.
p r e s e n t
A new look at the Tulsa Race Riot Jennifer Latham’s book launch
THE FIFTH LETTER By Nicola Moriarty William Morrow, $26.99, 288 pages Reviewed by Christina Boswell Check this out! Best friends since they were twelve, Joni, Deb, Eden, and Trina take a vacation together every year to catch up. Lately, husbands, kids, and careers have started to pull them apart. Joni can’t stand to see that happen, so she makes sure everyone is going to be there this year. They rent a cabin near the beach and decide to play a game. Each woman anonymously writes a letter sharing a secret. They will read them out loud without judging or trying to figure out who wrote it. However, one night Joni wakes up and sees The Fifth Letter burning in the fireplace. From the scraps, she can see that one of these four women has been holding onto a grudge against one of the others for a very long time. Joni has to figure out who wrote it before those violent
Wednesday, Feb. 22 • 7 p.m. Greenwood Cultural Center 322 N. Greenwood Ave.
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 2
Tulsa
Book Review
IN THIS ISSUE Family Life......................................................2
Tulsa City-County Library 400 Civic Center Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 Ph. (918) 549-7323
African-American Resource Center
Booksmart Tulsa Presents..............................2 History....................................................... 4, 5
EDITOR IN CHIEF Ross Rojek Ross@1776productions.com
Biographies & Memoirs..................................5
EDITOR/COORDINATOR
African-American History Month..................5
Jackie Hill Tulsa City-County Library GRAPHIC DESIGN/LAYOUT
Teens..............................................................6
Heidi Komlofske-Rojek
Kids’ Books.....................................................7
COPY EDITORS
Tweens...........................................................7
Heidi Komlofske-Rojek Danielle McManus
Bestsellers Coming Soon.................................8
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Christopher Hayden WEBSITE TulsaBookReview.com
Fantasy..................................................... 9, 15 American Indian Festival of Words.................9 Nonfiction.............................................. 10, 11 Mystery/Suspense.................................. 12, 13 Children’s Fiction Coming Soon....................13 Cooking, Food & Wine.................................. 14 Fiction.................................................... 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 ©2017, City Book Review
Youth Nonfiction New & Coming Soon..........................................................15 Check This Out..............................................16
Honor the Past Embrace the Future The African-American Resource Center collects, preserves and provides access to resources honoring and documenting the experiences of people of African descent. The center provides current and comprehensive resources and professional reference materials covering the history and culture of African-Americans. Come and learn about African-American history, with special emphasis on Oklahoma and the African diaspora.
VISIT THE CENTER TODAY AT: Rudisill Regional Library 1520 N. Hartford 918.549.7645 www.TulsaLibrary.org/aarc
THE CENTER IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, 1-5 p.m.
to Philip Sheridan to Custer to Geronimo and Chief Joseph. The epic battle was one of attrition, with a people and way of life destroyed. A gripping read from the first sentence.
Category
History SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
THE EARTH IS WEEPING: THE EPIC STORY OF THE INDIAN WARS FOR THE AMERICAN WEST By Peter Cozzens Knopf, $35.00, 576 pages Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro Check this out! The Earth is Weeping has delved further into examining the Indian wars in the midwest through California that spanned the 19th century. In the mid 1860s, tribes met with President Lincoln, attempting to establish an agreement of co-existence with the White man. As territorial expansion grew, so did the exploitation and displacement of the American Indian tribes. Agencies were set up with certain chiefs in charge to mediate with the government, but the violence perpetrated by the landand money-greedy settlers would be met with equal acts of violence by different tribes out west, from the Apache to the Creek to the Sioux. The soldiers who had previously fought in the war between the states would be thrust into uncharted territory in the new war against men such as Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, and many other charismatic rebels. The violence would take its toll over the years with bodies, both soldier and civilian, littering the landscape of the western half of the country. The American Indian population would ultimately be minimized and segregated. The Earth is Weeping is a moving, shockingly brutal take on the US-Indian wars. The battles are many, the leaders vary in their charisma, vanity, pride, and violent ways, from William Sherman
THE SWAMP FOX: HOW FRANCIS MARION SAVED THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION By John Oller Da Capo Press, $26.99, 400 pages Reviewed by C.D. Quyn Check this out! These days about all this generation knows about Francis Marion stems from the character played by Mel Gibson in The Patriot. John Oller sets the record straight in this separation of the myth from the real Revolutionary War hero who became known to us as the Swamp Fox for his cunning guerrilla tactics against the British. At a time when the Continental Army was too far north to aid South Carolina, the British stormed Charleston and Georgetown almost simultaneously and then swept the rest of the state in an effort to march up to Virginia. Francis Marion and his devoted militia remained the only hope for the success of the American Revolution until help could arrive. At first the British knew nothing about Marion, and then they grossly underestimated him. “Marion was bleeding the British to death by a thousand cuts.” Oller chronicles the action with flush detail, carrying us from one skirmish to the next ambush, while watching Marion narrowly dodge the death squads sent out by the Redcoats. “Loyalist newspapers even reported that Marion had drowned while trying to escape.” Thank God, he didn’t! Whoever said that history had to be boring? The way Oller writes it, you won’t be able to put it down. COUNTDOWN TO PEARL HARBOR: THE TWELVE DAYS TO THE ATTACK By Steve Twomey Simon & Schuster, $30.00, 384 pages Reviewed by Owen Hamill Check this out! Throughout 1941, as diplomacy with Japan reached a dead end, Husband Kimmel, commander-in-chief of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, was routinely warned of a possible Japanese surprise attack in lieu of, or at least in conjunction with, an official declaration of war. How then, in a climate of impending hostilities, was the American navy blind to a Japanese fleet that managed to stealthily sail thousands of miles of open Pacific ocean to Hawaii undetected? Seeking to understand rather than See COUNTDOWN, cont’d on page 5
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COUNTDOWN, cont’d from page 4 to blame, what Steve Twomey’s Countdown to Pearl Harbor finds in the days and months leading up to the attack is an acute failure of communication. Finding fault with the actions of officers up and down the chain of command, Mr. Twomey nonetheless refrains from vilifying any of the main actors in his narrative, and no one officer is singled out as the scapegoat. Describing confusion between Kimmel and Harold Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, about the state of Japanese-American diplomacy, he writes: “‘He might have asked me for a clarification,’ said Stark, who might have provided one of his own.” The American navy was sunk as much by its own assumptions and miscommunications as it was by Japanese torpedoes. THE BLACK PANTHERS: PORTRAITS FROM AN UNFINISHED REVOLUTION By Bryan Shih (editor), Yohuru Williams (editor), Peniel E. Joseph (introduction) Nation Books, $24.99, 271pages Reviewed by Julia McMichael Check this out!
CELEBRATE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH
with
New York Times best-selling author
Omar Tyree!!
Imagine the progress we would have made in race relations in the United States if the FBI had not waged war on black people and specifically the Black Panthers? The Panthers were revolutionary in creating coalitions within the community regardless of race, creed, or cultural bias. They gave out groceries, developed ambulance services for the under-served, ran schools, and fed breakfast to hungry children, but they also armed themselves and witnessed police actions in cities across the country. They were targeted by J. Edgar Hoover, who apparently did not
Thursday, Feb. 2
Rudisill Regional Library, Ancestral Hall 1520 N. Hartford Ave., 918.549.7645
See BLACK PANTHERS, con’t on page 15
Category
Biographies & Memoirs SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
Omar Tyree (aka The Urban Griot) is a New York Times best-selling author, journalist, lecturer, poet, screenwriter, songwriter, playwright, literacy advocate and founder of the Urban Literacy Project. Among his many accolades, Tyree won the 2001 NAACP Image Award for outstanding literature in fiction and the 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award for body of work in urban fiction. His works include Capital City, the Flyy Girl trilogy, 12 Brown Boys and other urban fiction novels. 10-11:30 a.m. Contemporary Writing Workshop for Teens
CHARLES DICKENS: AN INTRODUCTION By Jenny Hartley Oxford University Press, $16.95, 176 pages Reviewed by Ryder Miller Check this out! It is hard to say something about Charles Dickens (18121870) that has not been said before. There are scores of academic books about him. He was the most famous writer from the British Victorian age. He represented British culture. He created some very famous characters and told stories that are still beloved today. He wrote a variety of different types of novels, leaving behind an oeuvre that is vast, wonderful, charming, and humanitarian. He championed the poor and the underclass, giving them references for their struggle to improve their lot. Charles Dickens, An Introduction by Roehampton University Professor Jenny Hartley is a wonderful telling of his life and accomplishments. It is voraciously researched and very accessible. As told, Dickens had a difficult early life, with his family going to debtors’ prison in England while he was sent off to work early in the factories. That shame and poverty enabled him to write about the struggles of working class and poor people, with some of his most memorable characters being children in difficult straits. He wound up in journalism and then a writer. He serialized his stories in magazines, some of which he owned, and published giant books. Hartley relays a fascinating and insightful biographical tale about an author who inspired the creation of communities of fans.
Tyree’s Urban Literacy Project has the goal of increasing the overall literacy rate among urban and other disadvantaged youth and citizens through informative lectures, performances, presentations and workshops. In this fun workshop, Tyree will focus on social media to teach students the five key components of literacy: reading, writing, thinking, visualization and application. Educators are encouraged to bring their students.
6-8:30 p.m. Author Presentation and Book Signing: Where Are We Now? • Tyree will discuss negative African-American imagery
and the ongoing dysfunctions that persist in the culture, music, reality TV and social media. Does it all add up to the continued false images perpetuated in the media? Afterward, Tyree will sign copies of his books, which will be available for purchasing at the program.
Exhibition: Fly With Aviator James Herman Banning
TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE: A REVOLUTIONARY LIFE By Philippe Girard Basic Books, $29.99, 340 pages Reviewed by Julia McMichael Check this out! Although I knew the name Toussaint L’Ouverture as a leader of a successful black slave rebellion in then Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), I was not aware of his many contributions in diplomacy, governance, and political policy. Because the author is from France, the country which then controlled SaintDomingue, he is uniquely qualified to detail L’Ouverture’s See TOUSSAINT, con’t on page 15
Feb. 4-March 2
African-American Resource Center Rudisill Regional Library The African-American Resource Center and the Greatest Stories Never Told project present this exciting, interactive exhibit about aviator James Herman Banning, the first African-American to receive a U.S. Department of Commerce pilot’s license and first to complete a transcontinental flight across the U.S. When no one would lend him a plane, Banning built his own! Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 5
change things in profound ways. Author Kate Schatz has chosen great stories to share here, and illustrator Miriam Klein Stahl used strongly stylized black-and-white drawings to show the power of these women. This will be a great addition to every school library and middle-grade classrooms everywhere.
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GEORGIA PEACHES AND OTHER FORBIDDEN FRUIT By Jaye Robin Brown HarperTeen, $17.99, 432 pages Reviewed by Holly Scudero Check this out!
Teens SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
THE DIABOLIC By S.J. Kincaid Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 416 pages Reviewed by Hannah Moore, , Youth Library Associate, Broken Arrow Library Check this out! Nemesis has one purpose as a ruthless and powerful genetically enhanced creature known as a Diabolic: to protect the senator’s daughter Sidonia Impyrean. There is only one way to save the fragile human girl when Sidonia’s presence as a hostage to the emperor at the Galactic Court is demanded. The Diabolic must take Sidonia’s place and pretend to be a frivolous politician’s child in a world of cunning, unpredictable politics and sinister intentions. With a raging emperor and a mad heir supercharging the tense political climate, Nemesis finds herself struggling to keep up the ruse. Humanity, the one thing that could save them both, is the one thing Nemesis was created not to have. Part political thriller, part sci-fi romance, The Diabolic never quite manages to go where you’re expecting and instead delights with its surprises. Kincaid paints a fantastical backdrop of an intergalactic world so vividly imagined readers will push through the darker themes that parade around the political landscape Nemesis must tiptoe around, if only to see what the author has dreamt up next. Despite the title character’s breeding for an idealized lack of empathy, this novel will have you feeling ups and downs across the board as you venture along on Nemesis’ journey. Kincaid perfectly captures Nemesis’ voice in a tale that will keep you guessing and turning pages until the last delicious paragraph. LOVING VS. VIRGINIA: A DOCUMENTARY NOVEL OF THE LANDMARK CIVIL RIGHTS CASE By Patricia Hruby Powell Chronicle Books, $, 260 pages Reviewed by Rita Fofah, Youth Librarian, Jenks Library Check this out! It would be difficult for teenagers of this era to imagine a time when it was not only socially unacceptable, but illegal to marry someone because of the color of their skin. Loving vs. Virginia vividly described such a time. Written in a unique documentary style, Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell illustrated the courtship and eventually marriage of two young lovers. The reader of this visually captivating and informative book will get a glimpse of the day-to-day life of teens Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter and those close to them, in 1950s Virginia during the segregation era. This book featured drawings and photos of historic events such as the Little Rock Nine, lunch counter sit-ins and the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Loving vs. Virginia will take the reader through the struggles and triumphs of love during a time of hostility. Initially geared toward tweens and young adults, adults will receive a lesson in the need for love, determination and the importance of overcoming prejudice. Educators: Visit Chroniclebooks.com/loving-vs-virginia.html for a comprehensive educator/ library discussion guide that gives even greater context to the book. RAD WOMEN WORLDWIDE: ARTISTS AND ATHLETES, PIRATES AND PUNKS, AND OTHER REVOLUTIONARIES WHO SHAPED HISTORY By Kate Schatz, Miriam Klein Stahl Ten Speed Press, $15.99, 112 pages Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck Check this out! What do mountain climbers, poets, politicians, artists, doctors, astronauts, explorers, sports stars, singers, teachers, and more all have in common? In this extraordinary, inspirational book, these are all women who have changed the world through their perseverance and dedication to particular missions or causes. The book contains forty stories of women, young and old, throughout history, representing countries all around the world, who have found ways to make things better for people everywhere. The research is impeccable, and the writing is lively and crisp. Most readers will recognize a handful of the names of women represented here; the rest of the women have quietly made their important marks on history. And these stories will inspire young people, particularly girls and young women, to believe in their ability to choose paths that may not be easy, but that will
Joanna is not looking forward to her senior year. Not only is she moving to a small town with her father, who runs an evangelical radio station, and her new stepmother, but she’s agreed to the impossible prospect of “lying low”--not exactly pretending to be straight but not being open about being gay, either. Joanna didn’t expect to actually like her stepmother, though, or to make some real friends…and neither did she expect to start falling for Mary Carlson. Joanna doesn’t like lying to her parents or to Mary Carlson, but she also doesn’t know how to get herself out of this mess without hurting someone she loves. In Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit, author Jaye Robin Brown takes on an interesting story line. Joanna, an out teen who has a solid sense of who she is, is a fascinating character, flawed in her interactions with those around her while still maintaining a solid sense of integrity, even if it’s not always applied evenly. The small town atmosphere of Rome, Georgia is perfectly represented, and the mixed reactions of her friends and neighbors to the concept of homosexuality will resonate with readers all over the place. This novel isn’t always easy to read--it’s hard to watch Joanna digging herself into a hole-but it’s worth making it to the end. THE BOOMERANG EFFECT By Gordon Jack HarperTeen, $17.99, 352 pages Reviewed by Sarah Guller Check this out! Lawrence Barry is pretty content with his chill life. He and his stoner friends are livin’ the good life, and thanks to his dad’s powerful law firm, Lawrence never has to worry about getting in trouble. However, it all changes when the school principal threatens to send Lawrence to reform school if he doesn’t clean up his act. Soon Lawrence finds himself forced into being a student mentor for the new nerdy exchange student, and he begins to enjoy things that he could never do around the cool, everjudging crowd he usually hangs out with. Just when his hooligan lifestyle is finally coming to an end, Lawrence is framed for the prank of the century at school. This time, Daddy Lawyer can’t get him out of things, and his “friends” don’t seem to be true buds anymore. It’s up to Lawrence to get himself out of the mess this time, and he begins to learn who he really is. Author Gordon Jack has done a solid job of crafting a novel that’s genuinely relatable for middle to high school boys. With a relatively narrow intended audience, this book is not for everyone. Foul language and topics of drugs/alcohol are included in the plot, so think twice before giving your eight-year-old daughter this book. Warnings aside, Boomerang is a hilarious and relevant book about the modern adolescent’s universal struggle to fit in. The plot is well-developed, including side stories of the main character’s parents, his crush, his foreign exchange student, and others. All of the mini-tales come together coherently, and the end result is a dynamic and enjoyable story. The subtly didactic book effectively portrays what it’s like to find out who you are, who your real friends are, and how different life is when you stop worrying what others think. THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR By Nicola Yoon Delacorte Press, $18.99, 384 pages Reviewed by Emma McGorray Check this out! In Nicola Yoon’s The Sun is Also a Star, New Yorkers Natasha and Daniel are brought together—and pulled apart—by a series of coincidences. Their views toward their meeting differ: while Natasha is a rationally minded physics enthusiast, Daniel is a poet and a dreamer, and he’s quicker to fall in love and to ascribe their meeting to the work of fate. Whether they’re meant to be or not, though, there’s one big thing getting in their way: on the day of their meeting, Natasha’s family is set to be deported to Jamaica, her birthplace. As they race against the clock, Natasha and Daniel get to know each other and come to understand love, themselves, and each other. Third-person chapters that offer insight about the universe or give a look at the inner lives of secondary characters intersperse Natasha and Daniel’s firstperson perspectives and reflect one of the novel’s greatest strengths: its exploration of the wide range of factors and individuals that come together to make love—and all human connection— possible. Yoon deftly tells the stories of Jamaican and Korean-American characters, displaying their struggles with their families and their identities alongside the miraculous way love comes into their lives.
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 6
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Kids’ Books
Tweens
SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
NIGHTMARES! THE LOST LULLABY By Jason Segel, Kirsten Miller, Karl Kwasny (illustrator) Delacorte Books for Young Readers, $16.99, 336 pages Reviewed by Rebecca Williams Check this out!
ADVENTURES IN ASIAN ART: AN AFTERNOON AT THE MUSEUM By Sue DiCicco, Deborah Clearwaters (contributor) Tuttle Publishing, $15.95, 48 pages Reviewed by Susan Roberts Check this out! In Adventures in Asian Art: An Afternoon at the Museum, we follow a girl and her brother as they explore fifty-three pieces of art at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The author and illustrator cleverly work in how the children interact with each art piece shown. They meditate with the Budda, they ride rhinos, they wear samurai warrior suits of armor. The story is written in simple, up-beat rhyme, blending the art with the child’s imagination: “You’ll dance with the Sky-walker And clear the path ahead. You’ll carry the fire of wisdom<br>Through the hair upon your head.” Juxtaposing the rhymes with the art, the child can put together the references to each. Each page invites the youngest into the fun and imagination of the artwork while showing the actual art piece itself. Art pieces includes kimonos, statutes, puppets, paintings, and more from centuries ago to modern times. Unlike traditional museum art books, this book is abundant with upbeat energy and kid-like fun on every page to draw in young readers. TIME FOR KIDS: PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES By Editors of TIME for Kids Magazine Time For Kids, $15.95, 80 pages Reviewed by Rosi Hollinbeck Check this out! It is always nice to have a good reference with lots of information in a focused format. This is that, and it is perfect for the middle-grade reader. It opens with an overview of the presidency, how it came about, and what it means. This is followed by a glimpse of the three branches of government and why we have political parties, then a page or two for each president. Included is a picture of the president, their date and place of birth and date of death, their political party, who served as vice-president, and information about their spouse and children. There is also a nice, concise write-up about the person, with key accomplishments. Each also has a timeline that highlights important dates. Occasionally there is an added “Did you know?” interesting fact, though not for every president. In addition there are short articles on westward expansion, how to become president, first ladies, and the White House. Everything is in color and arranged with bright graphics in an attractive, eye-catching layout. The writing is crisp and filled with fascinating facts. This is a book middle-graders will find both valuable and fun while they are learning about this important topic.
Charlie is having nightmares again, but his waking hours are worse. He already saved his town from the twins ICK and INK a couple times, but it seems that one of them is back in the Waking World. He tries several times to confront her about what she and her sister are planning but can never get close enough. Even more frustrating is that his younger brother, Jack, seems to be buddying up with her, “the bad guy!” When he, Jack, and Charlotte, his stepmother, hear sounds in the night and banging on the door in the tower, they know the twin still locked in the Netherworld has big plans, complete with an army of Nightmares. The three of them have to figure out how to stop the twins quickly before the Nightmares take over. This is the third installment of the Nightmares series and is best read in order. It leaves readers with a good message of how emotions can rule the world, even unintentionally, and how it is best to deal with issues before they get too large. Great for readers from third grade through middle school, it is for any reader whose nightmares threaten to take over daylight hours.
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DOUBLE DOWN (DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #11) By Jeff Kinney Harry N. Abrams, $13.95, 224 pages Reviewed by Rebecca Williams Check this out! Greg Heffley returns in his eleventh book. His mom, as usual, is not so enthralled with his video game playing. She goes back to school, which puts a heavy load on Greg and older brother, Rodrick, to carry out the chores. Dad is not happy about his apparent laziness. In order to get Mom and Dad both off his back, he tries to embrace his creative side, trying out an instrument and then a movie-making endeavor. Even a trip to his mom’s new school doesn’t quite pull him from his video games, and with his hopes on a future career as a video game tester, why quit playing? Similar to Kinney’s last several installments, this is not so much a well-planned story as it is a stream of consciousness. If discerning readers look at this story as a series of short stories, then this is a great conglomeration of hilarious anecdotes. There are several incidents that are over the top, but overall, regardless of how well this story is written, it will appeal to middle-grade students, those who want a quick read, and those who need to know that middle school is tough for everyone.
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 7
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FEBRUARY 2017
A FREE MONTHLY GUIDE TO YOUR COMMUNITY LIBRARY, ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
adults & all ages BIXBY LIBRARY PAWS for Reading for Adults Saturday, Feb. 18 • 10 a.m.-noon Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Adults are invited to read for 20 minutes from your favorite short story, poetry, chapter of a book or magazine article to a furry, four-pawed friend. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7514 to register. DIY: Learn to Sew Saturday, Feb. 18 • 1-4 p.m. Learn to wind a bobbin, thread a machine, plus basic machine care and maintenance. Also, learn basic stitches and get started on your first sewing project. We will provide you with resources to pursue your own DIY sewing projects and answer any questions you might have about sewing. For teens and adults. Please bring your own sewing machine. Bixby Adult Book Discussion Wednesday, Feb. 22 • 2-3 p.m. Read the novel "The Precious One" by Marisa de los Santos and then join us for a lively discussion. Light refreshments will be served. Copies of the book are available for checkout or as eBooks at the Bixby Library.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY Open Book Discussion Tuesday, Feb. 7 • 6:30-7:45 p.m. Read "Euphoria" by Lily King and then join us for this lively discussion. For adults.
LIBRARY CLOSINGS All Tulsa City-County Library locations will be closed on Monday, Feb. 20 for Presidents Day. Suburban Acres Library will be closed Monday, Feb. 6-Tuesday, Feb. 14 for improvements.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH Great Decisions: Current Events Discussion Group Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 15 • noon-3 p.m. Join us for lively conversation on current events. We will discuss "The Future of Europe" on Feb. 1 and “Trade and Politics” on Feb. 15. For adults.
BROOKSIDE LIBRARY Brookside Book Discussion Monday, Feb. 13 • 1:30-3 p.m. Read Isabel Allende's "The Japanese Lover," a love story to last a lifetime, and then join us for this lively discussion. For adults.
CENTRAL LIBRARY Performance: Aeolus Quartet Wednesday, Feb. 1 • noon-1 p.m. Location: first floor • Chamber Music Tulsa and the Tulsa City-County Library present a free concert by the renowned Aeolus Quartet. The concert is part of the Chamber Music Tulsa's Beethoven Winter Festival. During the performance, the quartet will discuss Beethoven’s musical development and how it mirrors his life, and perform string-quartet movements taken from each period. For more information about the Beethoven Winter Festival, visit chambermusictulsa.org. Travels With Tulsans Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 12:10-12:50 p.m. • Location: Aaronson Auditorium • Enjoy weekly travelogues from trips made by Tulsans to places near and far. Programs are: Feb. 1, “Cuba Cruise,” presented by The Rev. Warren Danskin, chaplain of Montereau Retirement Community and retired minister; Feb. 8, “Iceland,” presented by Marian Sexton and Laura Bottoms; Feb. 15, “The Three Baseball Amigos,” presented by Wayne Hardy, Myles Jaeschke and Denis McGilvray; and Feb. 22,
“Israel, presented by Karla Campbell, retired University of Tulsa employee, and Becky Collins, former president and CEO of Tulsa Global Alliance. Visit www.TulsaLibrary.org/friends for more details. Sponsored by the Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries. An Evening With George Washington Wednesday Feb. 1 • 7-8:30 p.m. Location: Aaronson Auditorium Spend an evening with our first president, George Washington, and hear about the incredible odds he had to overcome to help establish this nation. The presidency and our nation have taken a great journey over the last 200 years. From initiating the role of the president to the debates that surrounded the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Washington will share with the audience the vision he has for this country’s future. This live historical interpretation will provide engaging entertainment and rich historical content to kick off his birthday month. Presented by Mount Vernon and the Tulsa City-County Library. For all ages. The Art of the Fold: Origami Documentary and Paper-Folding Workshop Saturday, Feb. 4 • 2-4:30 p.m. Location: Pocahontas Greadington Learning & Creativity Center Join us for "Between the Folds," an inspiring documentary about the amazing world of modern paper-folding artists. After the film, we will host a paperfolding workshop with materials provided. For teens and adults. Show Me How Business Series: Build the Perfect Prospect List Thursdays, Feb. 9, 23 • 4-5 p.m. Location: Computer Lab Learn how to create your own custom database of business prospects using Dun & Bradstreet and ReferenceUSA company databases. Databases are free to use, available from home or office, and downloadable into
Excel spreadsheets and pdf formats. Registration is required. To register or for more details, contact the Research Center at 918-549-7323 or askus@tulsalibrary.org. For adults. My Social Security @ the Library! Friday, Feb. 17 • 1-4 p.m. Location: Computer Lab Gwen Latus from the Social Security Administration will help you create and explore your MySSA account! For adults and teens. 2017 African-American Heritage History Bowl Thursday, Feb. 23 • 3:30-9 p.m. Location: Pocahontas Greadington Learning & Creativity Center Designed around the national AfricanAmerican History Month theme "The Crisis in Black Education," the trivia bowl is open to all junior high schools, high schools, sororities, fraternities, social and business organizations, churches, teams, book clubs, groups and families to enter. There is a Junior High/High School Bowl and a Community Bowl. Trophies will be awarded for first, second and third place in each bowl. Plus, VR headsets will be awarded to first-place winners in the Junior High/ High School category, and a cash prize will be awarded for first place in the Community Bowl. All ages are welcome to attend. To participate or for more information, call the Rudisill Regional Library at 918-549-7645.
COLLINSVILLE LIBRARY Family Night at the Library Thursday, Feb. 2 • 6-7:30 p.m. Join us for make-and-take Valentine's Day crafts. All supplies will be provided. For all ages. All Thumbs Knitters Wednesdays, Feb. 8, 15, 22 12:30-2:30 p.m. • All levels of knitting expertise are welcome to join us for this fun and instructional afternoon. For adults.
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Collinsville Book Discussion Tuesday, Feb. 14 • noon-1 p.m. Read "Lion" by Saroo Brierley 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. Quilting: Patchworkers Tuesday, Feb. 14 • 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, Feb. 2 • 6:30-8:30 p.m. Location: Oak Room • Want to start a business? Get the help you need with SCORE experts. Learn the essentials of business start-ups, get action steps for your business and receive one-toone mentoring. SCORE is a nonprofit association of volunteer business experts. Registration is required. Go to www.tulsa.score.org to register. Beginning Genealogy Workshop Saturday, Feb. 4 • 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Frossard Auditorium Discover how to begin your family history research. For adults. Brain Storms: New Works by Young Writers Saturday, Feb. 4 • 7-8:30 p.m. Location: Connor’s Cove • Watch as short plays by young writers ages 10-18 are brought to life by Professor Michael Wright of the University of Tulsa and his students. Brain Storms features the winning short plays from Tulsa City-County Library's Young People's Creative Writing Contest. My Social Security @ the Library! Monday, Feb. 13 • 1-4 p.m. Location: Computer Lab • Gwen Latus from the Social Security Administration will be available to help you create and explore your MySSA account! For adults and teens.
HELMERICH LIBRARY Books People Are Talking About Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 12:15-1:15 p.m. Join us for our monthly book discussion. Our topic is unusual love stories. We will discuss "Everyone Brave Is Forgiven" by Chris Cleave, "Marriage of Opposites" by Alice Hoffman, "Room With a View" by E.M. Forster and "Consequences" by Penelope Lively. Light refreshments are provided by the Friends of the Helmerich Library. For adults.
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Ticket to Play: Board Game Fun Saturday, Feb. 18 • 2-4 p.m. Let's open a game box (or two), draw a card and roll some dice. Even though this program is designed for children and teens, everyone is welcome! We have shorter games like Ticket to Ride, Sheriff of Nottingham, Pandemic, just to name a few. So if you are a kid or a kid at heart, all board-game fanatics are welcome. Mainly Mysteries: Noir and Contemporary Reads Tuesday, Feb. 28 • 6:15-7:15 p.m. Discuss Dashiell Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon," Julia Thomas' "The English Boys" and David Morrell's "Murder as a Fine Art." Light snacks provided. Sponsored by the Friends of the Helmerich Library. For adults.
HERMAN AND KATE KAISER LIBRARY Book Discussion Tuesday, Feb. 28 • 2-3 p.m. • Join us for a discussion of Ann Patchett's latest novel, "Commonwealth." For adults.
JENKS LIBRARY Jenks Book Discussion Group Thursday, Feb. 16 • 1:30-2:30 p.m. Join us for a lively discussion of a great book. Call 918-549-7570 for book title. For adults.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY Confident Parenting Series: Baby Touch Infant Massage Thursday, Feb. 9 • 6:30-7:15 p.m. Location: Lecture Room • Are you an expecting parent or have a newborn? Join Susan West from the Peggy V. Helmerich Women's Health Center as she shows how to comfort a fussy baby through infant massage. Informational booklet will be provided for the first 10 participants. This program is the first in the Confident Parenting Series, focusing on relevant topics for parents of children ages newborn to tween. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust. My Social Security @ the Library! Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 1-4 p.m. Location: Computer Lab • Gwen Latus from the Social Security Administration will be available to help you create and explore your MySSA account! For adults and teens.
OWASSO LIBRARY Radical Home Economics Lunch Hour: Checks and Balances Thursday, Feb. 2 • noon-1 p.m. • Bring your lunch and learn how to effectively manage your money. For adults.
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Author Presentation and Book Signing: Meet Omar Tyree Thursday, Feb. 2 • 6-8:30 .m. Location: Ancestral Hall • Celebrate African-American History Month with Omar Tyree (aka The Urban Griot). Tyree is a New York Times best-selling author, journalist, lecturer, poet, screenwriter, songwriter, playwright, literacy advocate and founder of the Urban Literacy Project. Among his many accolades, Tyree won the 2001 NAACP Image Award for outstanding literature in fiction and the 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award for body of work in urban fiction. His works include “Capital City,” the “Flyy Girl” trilogy, “12 Brown Boys” and other urban fiction novels. Tyree will discuss negative African-American imagery and the ongoing dysfunctions that persist in the culture, music, reality TV and social media. Does it all add up to the continued false images perpetuated in the media? Afterward, Tyree will sign copies of his books, which will be available for purchasing at the program. Sponsored by the AfricanAmerican Resource Center and Tulsa Library Trust.
Mystery Readers Roundtable Thursday, Feb. 2 • 2-4 p.m. Come for coffee and find out what other mystery lovers are reading. For adults.
Greatest Stories Never Told: Fly With Aviator James Herman Banning Exhibit: Feb. 4-March 2 Living History Presentation: Saturday: Feb. 4 • 9-11 a.m. This 3-D exhibit and living history presentation celebrates one of Oklahoma's great African-American aviation heroes. Born and raised on a homestead in Canton, Okla., James Herman Banning became the first African-American to receive a U.S. Department of Commerce pilot's license. Full of bravery and determination, Banning successfully made the first transcontinental flight across the United States in 1932. No one would allow him to fly solo in their airplanes, so he built his own plane! Bring your children to explore this STEM exhibit to encourage them to strive for their goals and reach beyond their expectation. Children will be able to see themselves as aviators, explorers, writers and leaders. The exhibit is on display through March 2. At this exhibition opening on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m., living history actor Jeantique Oriol will bring Banning to life! The audience will get an opportunity to ask questions about his life and times. My Social Security @ the Library! Thursday, Feb. 16 • 1-4 p.m. Location: Computer Lab • Gwen Latus from the Social Security Administration will be available to help you create and explore your MySSA account! For adults and teens.
ZARROW REGIONAL LIBRARY My Social Security @ the Library! Tuesday, Feb. 14 • 1-4 p.m. Location: Computer Lab • Gwen Latus from the Social Security Administration will be available to help you create and explore your MySSA account! For adults and teens.
teens & tweens BIXBY LIBRARY Bixby Teen Manga/Anime Club Tuesday, Feb. 21 • 6-7 p.m. Discuss your favorite manga characters and books while making a craft. For ages 10-18. Retro Gaming for Teens Tuesday, Feb. 28 • 6-7 p.m. Bring your friends and play some of the games your parents played when they were your age, like Trouble, Sorry, Connect Four and other board games.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY BATAB Meeting Thursday, Feb. 9 • 4:30-5:30 p.m. Join the Broken Arrow Teen Advisory Board for snacks and activities while giving input for future library programs and displays. For ages 12-18. Read or Die Anime Club Saturday, Feb. 18 • noon-2 p.m. Hang out with us as we watch anime, talk manga (and other stuff) and eat snacks. Come in cosplay or as you are! For ages 12-18.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH BA Sidewalk Astronomers Thursday, Feb. 2 • 6:30-7:45 p.m. Join us as we discuss Spectroscopy, which can be used as a way to measure temperature and chemical composition of astronomical objects and more. A hands-on activity will follow. For ages 5-18.
t e e n s LEGO Club Monday, Feb. 6 • 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 Monday, Feb. 27 • 6:30-7:30 p.m. Go on a literary scavenger hunt with "The Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, and then join us for light snacks and great conversation about the book. For ages 9-12.
BROOKSIDE LIBRARY Picture Me! Saturday, Feb. 4 • 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Bring your cellphone or camera and take selfies with fun and pretty props and backdrops to celebrate Valentine's Day. For ages 5-18.
CENTRAL LIBRARY The Art of the Fold: Origami Documentary and Paper-Folding Workshop Saturday, Feb. 4 • 2-4:30 p.m. Location: Pocahontas Greadington Learning & Creativity Center Join us for "Between the Folds," an inspiring documentary about the amazing world of modern paper-folding artists. After the film, we will host a paper-folding workshop with materials provided. For teens and adults. Series: Introduction to CSS for Teens Mondays, Feb. 6, 13, 27 • 4-5:30 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Learning to code can be intimidating. Where do you start? Why, at your library, of course! Join us for a 6-week series introduction to the basics of computer coding with CSS. For ages 12-18.
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Homeschool Workshop: Digital Art Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 1-2 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Homeschooling families are invited to join us as we create digital art using a variety of technology. Registration is required and limited. Call 918-549-7323 to register or register online. For ages 5-18. Interview and Résumé Workshop Saturday, Feb. 18 • 1-2 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Come and see what the library has to offer you in your job search. From mock interviews to résumé templates, we will help equip you with the knowledge you need to succeed. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7323 to register. For teens. Introduction to Coding for Tweens Tuesday, Feb. 21 • 4-5:30 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Learning to code can be intimidating. Where do you start? Why, at your library, of course! Join us as we learn how to code using JavaScript and HTML! For ages 9-11. Registration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7323 or register online. For ages 9-11. Not Your Average Book Club: Anime/Manga/Comic Book/ Graphic Novel Club Tuesday, Feb. 28 • 6-7:30 p.m. Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Room Read manga? Watch anime? Join us as we celebrate National Fairy
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Tale Day by making apothecary bottles and chatting about our favorite fandoms. For ages 12-18. Questions? Call 918-549-7323.
COLLINSVILLE LIBRARY Sukikyo! Anime Club Wednesday, Feb. 8 • 3:30-5 p.m. Learn the art of paper quilling. For teens. After-School Teen Time Wednesday, Feb. 22 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Join us for Valentine's Day crafts and a movie.
HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY Minecraft Gaming for Teens Thursday, Feb. 2 •6-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab Put your imagination to the test building your own world in the popular game Minecraft. Hardesty Teen Anime/Manga Club Saturday, Feb. 11 • 1-2:30 p.m. Discuss your favorite manga characters and books while making a craft. For ages 12-18. Hardesty Spilled Ink Teen Creative Writing Group Thursday, Feb. 16 • 6-7:30 p.m. Location: Oak Room • 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.
After-Hours Teen Murder Mystery Dinner Friday, Feb. 24 • 6-8:30 p.m. Julietta Warner has invited you to her home for a delightful dinner party when suddenly ... she dies! Was it murder? Who is responsible? Join us for a fun evening of mystery solving in the library after its regular closing time, and, of course, FOOD! Bring your friends, but sign up fast as there are only eight spots available. You can sign up by calling 918-549-7550, or at the ASK desk on the second floor at Hardesty Regional Library. For ages 12-18.
HELMERICH LIBRARY Movies, Magic, Chocolate: Teen Movie Saturday! Saturday, Feb. 11 • 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Join us for this teens-only event! Watch movies and celebrate romance, Valentine's day and chocolate! Sponsored by the Friends of the Helmerich Library. Ticket to Play: Board Game Fun Saturday, Feb. 18 • 2-4 p.m. Let's open a game box (or two), draw a card and roll some dice. Even though this program is designed for children and teens, everyone is welcome! We have shorter games like Ticket to Ride, Sheriff of Nottingham, Pandemic, just to name a few. So if you are a kid or a kid at heart, all board-game fanatics are welcome.
Zine Making: Create a DIY Magazine Thursday, Feb. 9 • 4-5:30 p.m. Location: Maker Space • Not sure what a zine is? Join us as Broken Thumb Press, a local zine publishing micropress, teaches how to cut, paste and copy minimagazines. Registration is required Call 918-549-7323 to register. For teens. Open Mic Night for Teens Tuesday, Feb. 14 • 6:30-8 p.m. Location: Pocahontas Greadington Learning & Creativity Center Be your own date this Valentine's Day and join us for Central Library's inaugural open mic night. Perform your poetry, sing your songs, read your stories. Sign-ups at 6:30 p.m., performances at 7 p.m. Questions? Call 918-549-7323.
TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY EVENT GUIDE
FEBRUARY 2017
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KENDALL-WHITTIER LIBRARY Gaming for Teens Thursday, Feb. 2 • 4:30-5:30 p.m. Bring your friends and join us for fun gaming!
OWASSO LIBRARY Owasso Manga Club Friday, Feb. 17 • 4-5 p.m. Do you enjoy manga and anime (aka Japanese cartoons and books)? If so, join like-minded teens to talk about your favorite shows and characters.
RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY Contemporary Writing Workshop With Omar Tyree (aka The Urban Griot) Thursday, Feb. 2 • 10-11:30 a.m. Location: Ancestral Hall • Omar Tyree (aka The Urban Griot) is a New York Times best-selling author, journalist, lecturer, poet, screenwriter, songwriter, playwright, literacy advocate and founder of the Urban Literacy Project. In this fun workshop, Tyree will focus on social media to teach students the five key components of literacy: reading, writing, thinking, visualization and application. Educators are encouraged to bring their students. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust and African-American Resource Center. For teens.
SCHUSTERMAN-BENSON LIBRARY The Craft Connection Thursday, Feb. 23 • 6-7 p.m. If you like making crafts, this is the place for you! For ages 10-18.
SUBURBAN ACRES LIBRARY Deadline: 2017 Black History Month Essay Contest Monday, Feb. 20 • Entries must be submitted to any Tulsa City-County Library location or via email to sa@ tulsalibrary.org. For contest rules and regulations, call the Suburban Acres Library at 918-549-7655.
ZARROW REGIONAL LIBRARY Movie Club: "Groundhog Day" Thursday, Feb. 2 • 6-8 p.m. Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day, so join us to watch the classic 1993 comedy "Groundhog Day" (rated PG). For ages 12 and older.
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LEGO Animation Workshop Saturday, Feb. 11 • 2-4 p.m. Make your own animated mini movie using LEGOS and the free Stop Motion Studio app. Use our iPads or download Stop Motion Studio to your device and bring it with you. For ages 10-18. Minecraft Night Thursday, Feb. 23 • 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. LEGO Club Tuesday, Feb. 28 • 6-7 p.m. Create and build with LEGOS. We provide the LEGOS; you provide the imagination. All LEGOS must stay in the library. All ages are welcome.
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digital services BIXBY LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • 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. Book-A-Librarian appointments are available on a firstcome, first-served basis and generally last 30-60 minutes. Call 918-549-7514 to schedule an appointment.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • Need individualized instruction on a library product or 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. Call 918-549-7662 to schedule an appointment.
BROOKSIDE LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • 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-
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served basis and generally last 30-60 minutes. Call 918-549-7507 to book an appointment.
CENTRAL LIBRARY Series: Introduction to CSS for Teens Mondays, Feb. 6, 13, 27 • 4-5:30 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Learning to code can be intimidating. Where do you start? Why, at your library, of course! Join us for a 6-week series introduction to the basics of computer coding with CSS. For ages 12-18. Intro to Laser Engraving Tuesday, Feb. 7 • 6-7 p.m. Location: Maker Space • This orientation will cover the equipment, along with software used and potential projects for you to develop. After the demonstration, this event will qualify you to use the equipment along with general Maker Space access. No registration required but seating is limited. For all ages. Digital Literacy Lab Orientation Thursday, Feb. 9 • 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14 • noon-1 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Want to learn more about the American Electric Power Foundation Digital Literacy Lab? Come and see what we’re about! Orientation is required before independent use of the Digital Literacy Lab. Registration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7323 to register or register online. For ages 12 and older. Intro to 3-D Printing Monday, Feb. 13 • 4-5 p.m. Location: Maker Space • This orientation will cover the equipment, along with software used and potential projects for you to develop. After the demonstration, this event will qualify you to use the equipment along with general Maker Space access. No registration required but seating is limited. For all ages. Introduction to Coding for Tweens Tuesday, Feb. 21 • 4-5:30 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Learning to code can be intimidating. Where do you start? Why, at your library, of course! Join us as we learn how to code using JavaScript and HTML! For ages 9-11. Registration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7323 or register online. For ages 9-11. Canva 101: Online Design Tool Thursday, Feb. 23 •1-2 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Want to create posters and other graphics for your business or personal projects, but don’t know where to
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start? Join us as we explore Canva, a free graphic design tool. You should have some experience using a computer and the Internet. Registration is required. Call 918-5497323 or register online. For adults. Digital Literacy: How Internet Traffic Works Friday, Feb. 24 • noon-1 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Join us for part 2 of our Digital Literacy Series with Luke Crouch, software engineer at Mozilla. Learn about Internet protocol, how to protect your data online and how Internet traffic works. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7323 or register online. Class size is limited to 10. For adults.
HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • Receive individualized instruction from library staff. Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis and last 30-60 minutes. Call 918-549-7550 to set up an appointment. For adults. Computers for Seniors Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 1:30-3:30 p.m. • Location: Computer Lab • Learn computer skills in a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere. Designed for ages 55+, each of the four classes builds on the previous. Classes are: Feb. 2, "Hardware Boot Camp"; Feb. 9, "Internet Basics"; Feb. 16, "Fun With Files; and Feb. 23, "Email 101." Registration is required. Class size is limited. Call 918-549-7550. MS Excel 1 Tuesday, Feb. 7 • 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. 3-D Printing Demo Wednesday, Feb. 8 • 7-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18 • 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 • 7-8 p.m. See what 3-D printing is all about with a demonstration of the Ultimaker2 3-D printer! For all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. MS Excel 2 Tuesday, Feb. 14 • 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.
c o m p u t e r s , MS Excel 3 Tuesday, Feb. 21 • 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. MS PowerPoint 101 Tuesday, Feb. 28 • 6-8 p.m. Location: Computer Lab • This class shows how to create group presentations and slide shows. You should take MS Word 2 prior to taking this class. For adults.
HELMERICH LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • 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 918-549-7631 to schedule an appointment.
JENKS LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • 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 918-549-7323 to schedule an appointment. For adults.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY MS Word 1 Saturday, Feb. 4 • 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, Feb. 11 • 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.
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MS Word 3 Saturday, Feb. 18 • 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, Feb. 25 • 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.
MAXWELL PARK LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • Receive individualized instruction from library staff. Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis and last 30-60 minutes. If you require additional time, you will need to schedule a followup appointment. Topics include navigating the library's website, database research, career services, computer skills, and audio and eBook tutorials. Call 918-549-7610 to schedule an appointment.
NATHAN HALE LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • 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. Registration is required. Call 918-5497618 to reserve your time. For adults.
OWASSO LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • Need individualized instruction on a library product or 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. Call 918-549-7624 to schedule an appointment.
RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY Really Basic Computer Class Wednesday, Feb. 1 9-10 a.m. Location: Computer Lab • This class is
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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. Registration is required. Call 918-5497645 to register. For adults. Introduction to MS Word 2007 Wednesday, Feb. 8 • 9-10 a.m. 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. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7645 to register. For adults. Internet @ the Library Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 9:30-11 a.m. You will learn to navigate the World Wide Web and use the library's catalog system and online resources. This class is designed for people with little or no experience using the Internet. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7645 to register. For adults. Email 101 Wednesday, Feb. 22 • 9:30-11 a.m. 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. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7645 to register. For adults.
ZARROW REGIONAL LIBRARY Book-A-Librarian Feb. 1-28 • Need assistance using a library service? We're here to help! Book-A-Librarian appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis and last 30-60 minutes. Call 918549-7683 to register. Intro to 3-D Printing Saturday, Feb. 4 • 2-3 p.m. Get an overview of our 3-D printer equipment and software, along with a general safety overview. For all ages. Really Basic Computer Class Wednesday, Feb. 22 • 1:30-2:30 p.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.
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children BIXBY LIBRARY My First Storytime Mondays, Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 10:10-10:30 a.m. • Learn and enjoy songs, stories and activities that are just right for your little one at this lapsit storytime. For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Mondays, Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 11-11:30 a.m. • For ages 3-5. PAWS for Reading Thursday, Feb. 9 • 6-7:30 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 918-549-7514 to register. Family Storytime: Let's Get Crafty! Saturday, Feb. 25 • 10:30 a.m.-noon We'll listen to some stories and then create crafts together! For ages 3-10. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7514 to register.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY Storytime: Mother Goose on the Loose Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10:30-11 a.m. • This fun, five-week storytime series uses rhymes, songs, puppets, musical instruments and more to stimulate the learning process of babies and toddlers. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7491. Stay and Play Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 10:30-11 a.m. • After our regularly scheduled storytime, join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. Evening Storytime Thursday, Feb. 2 • 7-7:30 p.m. Join us for songs, stories, rhymes and other fun activities for little ones and the whole family. For ages 0-7. Preschool Storytime With Miss Hannah Mondays, Feb. 6, 13, 27 • 10:30-11 a.m. For ages 3-5. My First Storytime Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • Learn and enjoy songs, stories and activities that are just right for your little one at this lapsit storytime. For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers.
TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY EVENT GUIDE
FEBRUARY 2017
c h i l d r e n (Broken Arrow Library continued)
PAWS for Reading Wednesday, Feb. 8 • 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 begins on Feb. 1. Call 918-549-7500 to register.
BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY/SOUTH My First Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10:30-11 a.m. • Learn and enjoy songs, stories and activities that are just right for your little one at this lapsit
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storytime. For newborns to 3-year-olds and their caregivers.
objects and more. A hands-on activity will follow. For ages 5-18.
PAWS for Reading Wednesday, Feb. 1 • 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, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust. Registration is required. Call 918-549-7662 to register.
LEGO Club Monday, Feb. 6 • 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.
BA Sidewalk Astronomers Thursday, Feb. 2 • 6:30-7:45 p.m. Join us as we discuss Spectroscopy, which can be used as a way to measure temperature and chemical composition of astronomical
Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. Stay and Play Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:30 a.m. • After our regularly scheduled storytime, join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 3-5.
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, T, W, Th, F, 10-6; 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, T, W, Th, F, 10-6; Sat., 10-5 13 Nathan Hale Library 6038 E. 23rd St., 74114 • 918-549-7617 M, T, W, Th, F, 10-6; 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 Closed Feb. 6-14 for improvements 4606 N. Garrison, 74126 • 918-549-7655 M, T, W, Th, F, 10-6; 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
Ballet Storytime Tuesday, Feb. 21 • 10:30-11 a.m. Join us at Preschool Storytime as a ballerina from the Hardesty Center for Dance helps us sing, dance, read and do finger plays. For ages 3-5. Evening Storytime Tuesday, Feb. 28 • 6-6:30 p.m. Join us for a family storytime featuring songs, rhymes and fun literacy-building activities.
BROOKSIDE LIBRARY Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10:15-10:45 a.m. • For ages 3-5.
c h i l d r e n My First Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 11-11:20 a.m. • Learn and enjoy songs, stories and activities that are just right for your little one at this lapsit storytime. For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Picture Me! Saturday, Feb. 4 • 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Bring your cellphone or camera and take selfies with fun and pretty props and backdrops to celebrate Valentine's Day. For ages 5-18. PAWS for Reading Friday, Feb. 17 • 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 Friday, Feb. 24 • 3:30-5 p.m. Enjoy popcorn and the crazy antics found in "Zootopia"! For all ages.
CENTRAL LIBRARY Babies, Bubbles & Books Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 15 • 10:30-11 a.m. Location: Mary K. Chapman Children's Storytime Room • Enjoy stories, rhymes and songs with your little one! For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Hands On! Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 10:30-11 a.m. • Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Room Busy hands, busy brain! Preschoolage children learn through hands-on activities. We will explore, experiment and create. Be ready to get messy! First Friday With Gilcrease Friday, Feb. 3 • 4:30-5:30 p.m. Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Room • Begin your First Friday Art Crawl at Central Library! Gilcrease staff will help us explore artists featured at the museum while your young artist creates a masterpiece of his or her own. For ages 5-10. Family Storytime Mondays, Feb. 6, 13, 27 • 6:30-7 p.m. Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Room • Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes with friends and family. For all ages. Family Fun Storytime Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Room Enjoy storytime and then stay after for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 5 and younger.
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Toddlers & Tales Wednesdays, Feb. 8, 22 • 10:30-11 a.m. Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Room • Enjoy songs, stories and rhymes with your toddler!
guitar for stories, songs and rhymes. Babies and toddlers learn through play, so stay after storytime for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For all ages.
PAWS for Reading Saturday, Feb. 11 • 1-2 p.m. Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Room • Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-10 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 918-5497323 to register.
LEGO Club Thursday, Feb. 23 • 4-5 p.m. Bring your creativity; we'll supply the LEGOS. For ages 5-11.
Homeschool Workshop: Digital Art Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 1-2 p.m. Location: Digital Literacy Lab Homeschooling families are invited to join us as we create digital art using a variety of technology. Registration is required and limited. Call 918-549-7323 to register or register online. For ages 5-18. The Art of Listening Monday, Feb. 27 • 2-3 p.m. Location: Mary K. Chapman Children’s Storytime Room • Homeschooling families are invited to join Miss Marilyn as she reads stories while you create a masterpiece. Each month we will celebrate an author whose words inspire the imagination. For ages 5-10.
CHARLES PAGE LIBRARY Preschool Storytime With Miss Alice Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11:30 a.m. • For ages 3-5.
COLLINSVILLE LIBRARY Family Night at the Library Thursday, Feb. 2 • 6-7:30 p.m. Join us for make-and-take Valentine's Day crafts. All supplies will be provided. For all ages. Stories From the Rocking Chair Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • The best in children's literature, songs, finger plays, rhymes and other reading-related activities are shared with your preschooler. For ages 2-5.
HARDESTY REGIONAL LIBRARY Toddler Time Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10-10:20 a.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:20 a.m. Enjoy stories, action rhymes, fun flannels, music, bubbles and meeting other toddlers in the neighborhood. For ages 2-3 and their caregivers. Mr. Paul's Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 11-11:30 a.m. • Come and hear some of Mr. Paul's favorite stories! For ages 3-5. Family Storytime Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 • 6:30-7 p.m. Come and hear some stories and songs with your family! My First Storytime With Ms. Julia Mondays, Feb. 6, 13, 27 Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10-10:20 a.m. • Learn and enjoy songs, stories and activities that are just right for your little one at this lapsit storytime. For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Movies @ the Library: "The LEGO Movie" Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 4-5:30 p.m. Location: Connor’s Cove Calling all master builders. Join us for a free showing of "The LEGO Movie." For all ages.
HELMERICH LIBRARY Stay and Play Storytime With Mr. Adam Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11:30 a.m. • Enjoy storytime and then stay after for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills.
songs, stories and activities that are just right for your little one at this lapsit storytime. For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11:30 a.m. • For ages 2-5. PAWS for Reading Wednesdays, Feb. 8, 22 • 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. Bounce-n-Beethovens: Music for Children Friday, Feb. 24 • 10:30-11:30 a.m. This parent/child music class introduces children to a variety of musical instruments. For ages 5 and younger. Class size is limited. Register online or call 918-549-7542.
JENKS LIBRARY My First Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10-10:15 a.m. • Join us for fun, cute stories and songs for babies and toddlers! For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10:30-11 a.m. • Join us for fun stories, songs and a craft. For ages 2-5. Stay and Play Storytime: Play and Learn Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 11-11:30 a.m. • Enjoy storytime and then stay after for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 2-5. PAWS for Reading Tuesday, Feb. 7 • 4-5 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Kids ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite book 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 to register.
Ticket to Play: Board Game Fun Saturday, Feb. 18 • 2-4 p.m. We have shorter games like Ticket to Ride, Sheriff of Nottingham, Pandemic, just to name a few. So if you are a kid or a kid at heart, all board-game fanatics are welcome.
Valentine’s Day Family Fun Tuesday, Feb. 14 • 4-5 p.m. Create cutie crafts for the ones you love and munch on yummy snacks as well! For ages 5-12.
GLENPOOL LIBRARY
HERMAN AND KATE KAISER LIBRARY
Ms. Tori's Musical Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10:30-11:30 a.m. • Join Ms. Tori and her
My First Storytime Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 10:30-11:30 a.m. • Learn and enjoy
Family Storytime: Love and Friendship Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 11:30 a.m.-noon • Enjoy stories and activities for the young and young at heart! For ages 3-5 and their families.
PAWS for Reading Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Registered therapy dogs are excellent listeners. Children ages 5-12 are invited to read their favorite book to a furry, four-pawed friend. Each reader will receive a free book provided by the Tulsa Library Trust.
JUDY Z. KISHNER LIBRARY
c h i l d r e n (Judy Z. Kishner Library continued)
Terrific Tuesday: Love-a-Book Readathon Tuesday, Feb. 21 • 3-6 p.m. Choose your own time for some quiet reading and/or some fun-tastic activities. If you would like to make your own Love-a-Book T-shirt, please register by Feb. 16 so we will have enough supplies. For ages 5-12.
MARTIN REGIONAL LIBRARY Family Play Date Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 11-11:45 a.m. • Toddlers love to explore and learn! Join us for imaginative play and discovery with toys and activities designed to foster young ones' early literacy skills. For ages 1-3 and their caregivers. LEGO Lab Mondays, Feb. 6, 13, 27 • 4-5 p.m. Location: Storytime Room Learn new building ideas, partner with other children during team-building challenges and explore free building. Leave your LEGOS at home and come play with ours! For ages 6-12. Bilingual Storytime/Cuentos Bilingües Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:30 a.m. • Enjoy stories, songs and activities in English and Spanish. / Cuentos, canciones y actividades en inglés y español.
MAXWELL PARK LIBRARY Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. Storytime Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 3-3:30 p.m. • Join us for fun stories and activities. For ages 5-12.
NATHAN HALE LIBRARY Mrs. Cindy's Storytime Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 10:30-11 a.m. • Join us for reading adventures, music and fun. For ages 5 and younger. PAWS for Reading Saturday, Feb. 11 • 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 Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10-10:30 a.m. • Learn and enjoy
songs, stories and activities that are just right for your little one at this lapsit storytime. For newborns to 2-year-olds and their caregivers. Preschool Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • For ages 3-5. Stay and Play Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:30 a.m. • After our regularly scheduled storytime, join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 5 and younger. 1-2-3 Play With Me: A Parent/Child Workshop Fridays, Feb. 10, 17, 24; March 3, 10 10-11:15 a.m. • Join us for a fiveweek series for parents and children ages 1-3. Each program offers opportunities for children to play with developmentally appropriate toys in a play group atmosphere and for parents to visit with early childhood specialists in the areas of child development, speech and language, nutrition, play movement and music. Class size is limited. Registration is required and is for the series. Register online or by calling 918-549-7624. PAWS for Reading Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 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. Class size is limited and registration is required. Call 918-549-7624 to register. Afternoon Movie Tuesday, Feb. 21 • 2-3:30 p.m. Join us for a showing of "The Secret Life of Pets" (rated PG). Popcorn will be provided! For all ages.
c o n t i n u e d your storytime friends! For ages 5 and younger.
regulations, call the Suburban Acres Library at 918-549-7655.
SCHUSTERMANBENSON LIBRARY
Storytime: African-American History Month Saturday, Feb. 25 • 1-2 p.m. Listen to stories and sing songs about African-Americans. For ages 5-12.
My First Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10-10:20 a.m. • 10:30-10:50 a.m. Learn and enjoy songs, stories and activities that are just right for your little one at this lapsit storytime. For newborns to 2-yearolds and their caregivers. Stay and Play Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 11-11:30 a.m. After our regularly scheduled storytime, join us for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 5 and younger. Candy Heart Catapult Contest Friday, Feb. 3 • 2-3 p.m. How far can a candy heart fly? Let's find out! Using office supplies kids will build their own simple machine to launch candy hearts across the room! Prizes awarded in various categories. Ages 6-10. Bilingual Storytime/Cuentos Bilingües Tuesdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:30-11 a.m. • Enjoy stories, songs and activities in English and Spanish. / Cuentos, canciones y actividades en inglés y español. PAWS for Reading Monday, Feb. 13 • 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. Please see a staff member to schedule a reading time for your child.
Bounce'n Beethovens Thursday, Feb. 23 • 6:30-7:15 p.m. Join Katherine Battenberg from the Midtown School of Performing Arts for a high-energy parent/child music class that introduces children to a variety of musical instruments and styles. For newborns to 5-year-olds. Class size is limited and registration is required. Register online or by calling 918-549-7624. Sponsored by the Friends of the Helmerich Library.
SKIATOOK LIBRARY
PRATT LIBRARY
Deadline: 2017 Black History Month Essay Contest Monday, Feb. 20 • Entries must be submitted to any Tulsa City-County Library location or via email to sa@ tulsalibrary.org. For contest rules and
Miss Connie's Storytime Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 10:30-11:15 a.m. • Talk, sing, read, write and play with Miss Connie and
www.TulsaLibrary.org
Storytime & Stay and Play Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 11 a.m.-noon • The best in children's literature, songs, games, finger plays, rhymes and other reading-related activities are shared with your preschooler. For ages 3-5.
ZARROW REGIONAL LIBRARY Stay and Play Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 10:30-11:30 a.m. • Enjoy storytime and then stay after for games, toys and activities that foster critical early literacy skills. For ages 5 and younger. PAWS for Reading Saturday, Feb. 18 • 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, Feb. 28 • 6-7 p.m. Create and build with LEGOS. We provide the LEGOS; you provide the imagination. All LEGOS must stay in the library. All ages are welcome.
NOW OPEN at Central Library Mon.-Thur., 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri. & Sat., 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun., 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
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SUBURBAN ACRES LIBRARY 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
Fantasy SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
Saturday, March 4 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Hardesty Regional Library, 8316 E. 93rd St.
MONSTER HUNTER MEMOIRS: SINNERS By John Ringo, Larry Correia Baen, $26, 304 pages Reviewed by David Lloyd Sutton Check this out! If you haven’t read Grunge, the previous memoir by these fine collaborators, you should buy that first because that is where our primary character’s awesomeness is fully explicated. Oliver Chadwick Gardenier, Iron Hand, is literally on a mission from God. Often you hear a book described as being non-stop action. With this one it is true. It has action ranging from dueling with multiple werewolves in a cemetery at night to action of a different kind with some of the more attractive denizens of New Orleans. I said the protagonist was on a mission from God; that doesn’t mean he’s religious, or anything . . . inhibiting like that. N.O. is very strange for our friend Chad because the feds are not trying to pretend the mystic source of monsters does not exist. That would not work in the Big Easy. Everyone knows. So from having to be as clandestine as you can be, blowing off tons of ammo and slathering the streets with blood/ichor, our monster slayer is a public hero. It gets him laid frequently. Since he wound up with this assignment by fleeing an indiscretion with an underage trailer park elf, you would expect that of him. Great swashbuckling fun!!! THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE: A NOVEL By Katherine Arden Del Rey, $27, 336 pages Reviewed by Christina Boswell Check this out!
Honoring Tim Tingle
10:30-11:30 a.m. • Tim Tingle (Choctaw) is a storyteller and award-winning author of books for children, teens and adults. His works include Walking the Choctaw Road, How I Became a Ghost, Crossing Bok Chitto, House of Purple Cedar, and his latest release, Danny Blackgoat: Dangerous Passage. A book signing will follow.
Genealogy Research 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. • Discover the many American Indian genealogical resources available at the library.
Native Culture Maker Spaces
In The Bear and the Nightingale, deep in the Russian wilderness, Vasilisa is born, and she can see things others cannot. She speaks to the household spirits, and the horses teach her to speak their language and ride bareback. Her stepmother is a very devout woman because she can see those things as well but chooses to treat them as demons. She forbids the family from bringing offerings to the spirits, which weakens them. Vasilisa is warned by Morozko, the winter spirit, that his brother, the Bear, is about to be freed, which will bring a terrible storm and death to her people. Vasilisa has to decide if she will hide her gifts or use them to save her family and her people. If you like fairy tales at all, I think you will enjoy this book. I could not put it down. I love fairy tales and everything Russian, so I was completely enamored with this book. I enjoyed every part. I thought it was well written, and it kept me engaged. Vasilisa’s character was someone you could relate to, even though she had a bit of magic to her. You want her to be free and brave, as you might hope to be. I look forward to more from this author, and I will definitely be reading this again.
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. • Take home the projects you make! Projects include Cherokee pottery by Crystal Hanna, finger weaving by Michel Laudermilk, Cherokee basket weaving by Choogie Kingfisher, sculptures with Lisan and Dana Tiger, and pony bead key chains by Stella Foster.
Children’s Crafts 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Zoo 2 U: Oklahoma Wild 11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. • This family presentation from the Tulsa Zoo will bring a better understanding of the natural world while encouraging a healthy appreciation of Oklahoma wildlife and conservation. Audience limited to 50 participants per session.
Third Annual Preserving Our Tribal Languages Forum 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. • The Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission and the American Indian Resource Center will showcase the rich culture of native languages while focusing on native youth and children.
ARCANUM UNBOUNDED: THE COSMERE COLLECTION By Brandon Sanderson Tor Books, $27.99, 672 pages Reviewed by John Murray Check this out!
Traditional American Indian Dance Exhibition
Arcanum Unbound: The Cosmere Collection is the first short story collection from fantasy author Brandon Sanderson. Within this massive tome are eight short stories, novellas, and novelettes from the majority of Sanderson’s Cosmere planets. The stories are broken down by planet system and prefaced by a note from Khriss, the author of the appendixes found in Sanderson’s other works. The shining star of this collection is a previously unpublished story set in the world of Stormlight Archive entitled ‘Edgedancer.’ While this collection is obviously aimed at Sanderson fans, it is amazingly accessible to new readers and serves as a great introduction to his CosmereÑwhich is an underlying connection through most of his novels. For instance, ‘The Emperor’s SoulÓ takes place in the world of Elantris but functions beautifully as a standalone novel that captures Sanderson’s writing style, narrative voice, and stunning character development in around one hundred pages. New readers and fans alike will enjoy this collection and will enjoy the tidbits of information Sanderson nestled in each introduction. See EMPTY ONES, cont’d on page 15
Festival of Words Writers Award
1:30 p.m. • Presented by All Nations Indian Youth
Food Concession
National Champion Indian Tacos by Monie Horsechief of Horsechief Catering
Sponsored by
The Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation Dr. Frank and Mary Shaw Friends of the Helmerich Library Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission Tulsa Indian Community Foundation Tulsa Library Trust American Indian Resource Center
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 9
Category
Nonfiction SNAP IT for additional book summaries.
THE GILDED CHALET: OFF-PISTE IN LITERARY SWITZERLAND By Padraig Rooney Nicholas Brealey, $29.95, 228 pages Reviewed by Karen Collins Check this out! The Gilded Chalet: Off-Piste in Literary Switzerland by Padraig Rooney was not at all what I expected. From the title, I inferred that I would learn interesting facts about writers who were Swiss natives or writers who had lived there and were influenced by the Swiss culture. It sounded like a book that might deliver insight into plots, characters, or locations based on some connection with Switzerland and its history. Despite Rooney’s commendable amount of research, the book focuses more on literary luminaries who romped their way through Switzerland without understanding it. Because of his fascination with gender identity, ménages à trois, and outrageous behavior in general, the book comes across as less literary theory and more celebrity tell-all. When it does get down to historical aspects, they are mostly negative. Rather than taking the reader away from the beaten path, Rooney underscores what most have realized for some time: wealthy expatriates frequently end up in Switzerland. The title implies the subject is literature, but the book veers into ruminations about “glitterati, rock aristocracy, royal and imperial has-beens, oily billionaires, anybody seeking the quiet slopes after life’s fitful fever.” Perhaps the fault is not entirely Rooney’s but the subject matter’s. THE ULTIMATE GAME OF THRONES AND PHILOSOPHY: YOU THINK OR DIE By Eric J. Silverman (editor), Robert Arp (editor) Open Court, $19.95, 288 pages Reviewed by J. Aislynn d’Merricksson Check this out! The Ultimate Game of Thrones and Philosophy is yet another offering in the wonderful pop culture and philosophy series. This one focuses on GRR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series and the HBO show Game of Thrones. There are seven sections looking at various aspects of the stories, from the ethics and morals employed by the various people woven through this elaborate tapestry to the lenses disability is viewed through to questions of power and its misuse to the Machiavellian influence woven into the story. The philosophies that guide the lives of certain characters such as Arya, Jaime, and Tyrion are examined closer, with an eye to their deep growth and evolution. Some of my favorites include: ”Tyrion’s Humor,” which discusses how humor can be used as a criticism of social injustice and how Tyrion’s brand of humor reflects not malice but compassion abraded by cynicism. He’s also reflecting the archetype of the Fool, who can get away with saying and doing things others can’t. That doesn’t always mean he’ll get away with it. ”Guilty of Being a Dwarf” compares Tyrion’s life journey to Sartre’s views on self and how we choose to see ourselves. (Yes, I am a huge Tyrion fan.) I love these books! They focus and sharpen philosophical concepts, revealing how they are present in our entertainment and illustrating their relevance in today’s society. This particular one had more yet shorter essays. All were really good. Highly recommended for any lover of philosophy and for fans of the Song of Ice and Fire book series or the HBO Game of Thrones series. AMAZING STORIES OF THE SPACE AGE: TRUE TALES OF NAZIS IN ORBIT, SOLDIERS ON THE MOON, ORPHANED MARTIAN ROBOTS, AND OTHER FASCINATING ACCOUNTS FROM THE ANNALS OF SPACEFLIGHT By Rod Pyle Prometheus Books, $18.00, 325 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! Mankind has accomplished some truly astonishing things in space. We’ve walked on the moon, explored the surface of Mars with rovers, and even photographed Pluto with spacecraft. Perhaps the only things more dazzling than what we’ve launched are the creations that remained on the cutting room floor. Amazing Stories of the Space Age chronicles decades of aborted
space missions, conceptual misfires, and fascinating almost-weres, ideas that run the gamut from mind-bending to utterly bizarre. I had no idea the Russians had developed their own space shuttle. (One that only flew once before being scrapped!) Pyle has clearly done his homework, offering incredible detail on all of these projects, often accompanied by schematics, the backstage politics and problems that scuttled them, and their impact on later missions to come. It helps build a wonderfully informative flipside to the missions we know so much about. At a time where the space program feels like a distant memory, Amazing Stories of the Space Age will hopefully reignite interest in the universe around us and our potential role in it. HIGH NOTES: SELECTED WRITINGS OF GAY TALESE By Gay Talese Bloomsbury USA, $20.00, 257 pages Reviewed by Julia McMichael Check this out! If all of the essays in this collection were as strong as the first two, this would be a five-star read. As it is, this is a “must have” book for any journalist. Author, Gay Tales, wrote for the New York Times and certainly perfected the skill of that requisite high caliber of writing; his first paragraphs are masterful and compel the reader to read on. He is also gifted at taking an unexpected left turn. Instead of writing about Charles Manson, he writes about the owner of the Spahn ranch. Instead of writing about the gangster, Joe Bonanno, he writes about his son. In “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold,” he turns a cancelled personal interview into a slice of life of that superstar and those around him. In doing that, the piece manages to be more revelatory than the guarded interview would have been. Unfortunately, his writing about the New York Times is such an insider piece that one would have to be a daily reader in order to track the many editors and managers. This is a great gift for anyone interested in the art of essay writing and journalism. HEALING HERBS OF PARADISE By Dr. Al Sears, M.D. Atlasbooks, $59.99, 324 pages Reviewed by George Erdosh Check this out! Should you be starting Healing Herbs of Paradise from the back of the book, you may be discouraged to open the front— the ending eleven pages are pure promotions. Yet author Al Sears created a beautiful, large, expensively produced volume on a single subject: herbal healing. With its large size and outstanding photography (bit too many of the author) this volume easily qualifies as a coffee table book. To gain any benefit from this book, you need to believe in Eastern herbal medicines and healers. Most of the herbs are available in supermarkets and Asian grocery stores, and Sears gives internet sources for those that are more difficult to find. He deals with thirty-six healing plants (some common like ginger, others not so like champak). For each, Sears attributes many healing or preventive powers for the human body, for pineapple as many as twenty-one. You’ll find simple recipes (often teas) on how to ingest the herbs. His knowledge, collection and photography is mostly from Bali, Indonesia with the assistance of a local couple, he a herb farmer and she a fifth-generation healer. Sears’ writing is excellent, full of stories, and the text has superscript numbers referring to his bibliography of research. THE CIA AS ORGANIZED CRIME: HOW ILLEGAL OPERATIONS CORRUPT AMERICA AND THE WORLD By Douglas Valentine Clarity Press, $28.95, 284 pages Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro Check this out! The Central Intelligence Agency was formed in 1947 with intelligence collection as its stated purpose. Sixty-nine years later, the stories of this controversial agency have exposed much more. Douglas Valentine has previously touched on aspects of the Agency’s extralegal activities with respects to Vietnam and co-opting the War on Drugs with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, then BNDD, then DEA. Valentine’s introduction to the CIA’s dirty work began with former Director William Colby and the Phoenix Program of counterinsurgency. Valentine was given total cooperation, but once his book was released, the subjects retreated and denied his work. Parallels would be transparent between the attempts to cripple the Vietcong infrastructure and the War on Drugs and the Global War on Terror. Corruption, extortion, and torture emerge as pre-eminent with all three battles. Alliances are made with dictators, drug lords, and various sociopaths, all while the agency keeps the public in the dark, disingenuously emphasizing the greater good when light shines on the nefarious derring-do being conducted under the American flag. Douglas Valentine’s work is a beacon of hope in the gray, murky mire that is the espionage world. The themes of the various essays and interviews are dark, but the courage of the author offers a silver lining. This is a work of pure journalistic talent. See NONFICTION, cont’d on page 11
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 10
Book Reviews
Nonfiction
NONFICTION, cont’d from page 10
poetry.” Many of his poems are illustrated in an original and quirky fashion, but only two illustrations are included in this book. Bukowski lived around the Los Angeles area for seventy-three years. He died in 1994. This is a perfect gift for the poetry lover during this holiday season. It would be essential for any poetry collection.
ALL NATURAL BEAUTY: ORGANIC & HOMEMADE BEAUTY PRODUCTS By Karin Berndl, Nici Hofer Hardie Grant, $19.99, 112 pages Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali Check this out! The health and beauty industry today is worth tens of billions of dollars, as these products are used not only by the glamorous but also by everyone else. Among top trends in this industry are a move toward natural and organic products, and individualized products (including mixes that end-users would blend before use). This book leverages both trends in that it outlines how readers can make their own health and beauty products (personalizing them for individual use), and it uses all natural ingredients. There are forty-three recipes in this book that cover facial masks, body scrubs, body lotions, foot baths, lip balm, hair oil, scrubs, creams, and other products for external use. While all the recipes are intended for topical use, some of these (such as the raspberry face mask) can be ingested. Each recipe takes a double page. One page starts with a relevant quote from one of the authors, lists the ingredients, describes how to make the product, and provides a brief explanation of why this recipe works. A “stamp” provides shelf-life and storage information. On the other page is a picture of the ingredients that are used for the recipe. An appendix titled “Key Ingredients” alphabetically lists the major ingredients and their therapeutic uses. As with most herbal or natural products, there is little scientific evidence that verifies the efficacy of the various combinations. What we have is wisdom from the ancients that vouches for their effectiveness – sometimes that’s all that matters. It is clear that these recipes have been tried, and for those who would rather make their beauty products than buy them, this book would serve as a good reference.
THE POEM IS YOU: 60 CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN POEMS AND HOW TO READ THEM By Stephen Burt Harvard University Press, $27.95, 432 pages Reviewed by Randy-Lynne Wach Check this out! I love poetry: rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, word play, classical allusions. Of course, this familiar concept of poetry largely limits me to old traditional poetry and children’s poetry. Most contemporary poetry breaks all the rules I know and understand, and I feel like I’m left on the sidelines, wondering what happened. It’s always seemed like a lack on my part—how could I even approach a poem that breaks every rule I know? So I was drawn by this book’s promise to share “how to read” the poems. I was probably hoping for more concrete and transferable help. What the author provides is more specific to each individual poem. Each of the sixty poems in the book is followed by an essay which may cover cultural context, the poet’s background, specific style, or a line-by-line exposition. Rereading each poem after the essay inevitably resulted in a greater understanding (though that was no guarantee I would like it any better—I still prefer the simpler, more traditional forms). I’m afraid that without a detailed explanation, I still may not know how to approach another contemporary poem. But it makes me more willing to try, and in that sense it is a success.
THE ATTENTION MERCHANTS: THE EPIC SCRAMBLE TO GET INSIDE OUR HEADS By Tim Wu Knopf, $28.95, 416 pages Reviewed by Julia McMichael Check this out! There are few people smarter than media critic Tim Wu. In his new book, The Attention Merchants, Wu traces the history of advertising and the grab for attention, both political and commercial. Since the book takes us to the present day with social media, the scope is grand and impressive. I do have a minor argument with the “creating need” concept of Wu’s critique of advertising. I believe that human needs are not created but are innate; advertising serves to stimulate existing needs toward their product. Wu states his life mission as “fighting bullies,” and with the media conglomerated into just a few corporate holdings, it serves as a big bully to take on. Take it on, he does. Among the brilliant insights of this book is, “[T]he race will naturally run to the bottom; attention will almost invariably gravitate to the more garish, lurid, outrageous alternative….” The current spate of reality television certainly proves that this is true. He also relates the tale of Edward Bernays, the nephew of Sigmund Freud, who stated, “I decided that if you could use propaganda for war, you could certainly use it for peace.” He then went on to use propaganda techniques developed in World War I for commercial clients. Also chilling is the way in which Hitler monopolized radio to force attention to his political party. “Finally, Hitler understood the demagogue’s most essential principle: to teach or persuade is far more difficult than to stir emotion. And far less welcome: what the audience most wants is an excuse to experience fully the powerful feelings already lurking within them but which their better selves might lead them to suppress.” In the final pages, Wu takes on Facebook and the current unhappiness experienced by its users. It turns out that witnessing the filtered life of others creates unhappiness for the Facebook user. Wu summarizes, “Without express consent, most of us have passively opened ourselves up to the commercial exploitation of our attention just about anywhere and anytime. If there is to be some scheme of zoning to stem this sprawl, it will need to be mostly an act of will on the part of the individual.” This reader would encourage you to take that act of will and turn off media and open the pages of this remarkable book. Wu powerfully persuades us that not only are we being sold by advertisers, our attention is being sold to advertisers so that they in turn can more powerfully tune into our wants and sell us more and better. If there is one book everyone should read this year, this is it! ESSENTIAL BUKOWSKI: POETRY By Charles Bukowski, Abel Debritto (editor) Ecco, $25.99, 226 pages Reviewed by Julia McMichael Check this out! If the poet Charles Bukowski were half as dissolute as he claimed to be, how in the world did he write the great poems featured in this volume, let alone some other forty-four books? Well, he is certainly a genius. Bukowski wrote five thousand poems in fifty years. The ninety-five poems collected in this book are scathingly original and so vibrant they seem to have slid off the pen. One of his lines can stop this reader in her tracks. It is not beautiful, and then somehow it is. He writes of women, cats, drink, and rough work that tests a hardy man. He writes of his father’s death, and we are with him in that room as he tries on the blue suit. He cautions the aspiring writer to “not write Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 11
Traveling the Mother Road this Winter?
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victims. It’s a clever tactic filled out by a rich and varied cast of characters, all of whom are victimized in one way or another throughout the story. The pacing is a little stop-start, and by the end you’re fatigued by all the twists and turns, but it’s still an engaging glimpse at the seamy underbelly of Whitechapel, a story populated by those struggling to survive, the downtrodden, the disadvantaged, and those abused by the whims of powerful men.
Category
Mystery/ Suspense
A STUDY IN SCARLET WOMEN By Sherry Thomas Berkley, $15.00, 336 pages Reviewed by J. Aislynn d’Merricksson Check this out!
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THE ENGLISH BOYS: A MYSTERY By Julia Thomas Midnight Ink, $15.99, 329 pages Reviewed by Adrienne Teague, Teen Librarian Associate, Rudisill Regional Library, Check this out! I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but over the last couple of years, we have seen a large number of books with the word “girl” in the title. And most of the time, the titular “girl” is actually a woman. That is just one reason why Julia Thomas’ The English Boys is so refreshing. The boys in question are actually grown men. Yay for equality! Also refreshing is the fact that this novel is set in England, it is set in this century, and it is NOT… I repeat NOT… a “chick lit” novel. The main quandary vexing the protagonists is the brutal murder of a famous actress on her wedding day. The sleuths are her sister, Carey, and her would-be husband’s best friend, Daniel. Daniel doesn’t think the police are following the right trail. Carey is a solid, intelligent, not-looking-for-a-man kind of girl. My favorite kind of heroine. She begrudgingly works with Daniel to figure out who killed Tamsyn. Bonus refresher: the author is a native of Tulsa and still lives in the area! We have so much talent around here, it’s nice to have it recognized in the publishing world at large. With excellent reviews from both Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews, we are likely to see more from this talented local writer. COCO BUTTERNUT: A HAP AND LEONARD ADVENTURE By Joe R. Lansdale Subterranean Press, $25.00, 88 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! It all starts with a mummified show dog that’s been kidnapped. Hap Collins and Leonard Pine, troublemakers on the side of the angels, are hired to recover the dog, but they suspect there’s something amiss about this deal, and boy, are they ever right. What’s meant to be a quick trade of cash for canine corpse turns out to be part of a bigger mystery, one that threatens to put Hap and Leonard behind bars. Although I thoroughly enjoyed this brief outing with Lansdale’s flagship duo, I was hoping it would last a little longer, as Lansdale’s crackling dialogue and the intriguingly peculiar premise were playing together quite nicely. This story had some meat on it, and the conclusion felt rushed. Also, for anyone who read Honky Tonk Samurai -- the duo’s previous novel-length outing -- don’t expect any insight into that book’s final twist. Coco Butternut seems to start sometime afterward, with no mention of the events of that book, save for Chance’s inclusion here. I found that omission more than a little jarring. That being said, this is a fun little visit with Hap and Leonard, though not quite as satisfying a novella as Hyenas or Dead Aim. THE RIPPER’S SHADOW: A VICTORIAN MYSTERY By Laura Joh Rowland Crooked Lane Books, $25.99, 368 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! Living in Whitechapel is hard for everyone. Photographer Sarah Bain is barely getting by, relying on nude photos of prostitutes to stay afloat. But when one of them turns up dead, and then another, Sarah believes the Ripper is using her photos to select his victims. Horrified, she takes it upon herself to try to protect her other subjects before the killer strikes again, but her loyalty just might end up getting her arrested...or worse. The Ripper’s Shadow had a daunting task ahead of it: putting a new spin on the Jack the Ripper murders. But, intriguingly, figuring out Jack’s identity is only part of the story. The rest of the novel is dedicated to how Jack started and what linked his
Thomas’s A Study in Scarlet Women is a unique reimagining of the tales of the Great Detective. Charlotte Holmes is a young lady born to aristocratic Victorian Age parents. As such, she is expected to find a suitable marriage match before too many seasons have run their course, else she be doomed to spinsterhood. Charlotte, though, has other plans. For one, the person she truly loves is unattainable. Second, she is highly intelligent, with a quick, inquisitive mind--things seen as undesirable in a wife. A failed promise on her father’s part has Charlotte taking matters into her own hands, and she is soon estranged by choice from her family. She takes up with a former actress, a Mrs. Watson, who soon finds use for Charlotte’s quick mind. Under the assumed name of “Sherlock” (close enough to Charlotte, and not the masculine equivalent), she begins to take cases from clients, using her skills to help them. Charlotte has already had some success in aiding Scotland Yard, via letters from “Sherlock,” in making headway into a very public high-profile case. I found this book somewhat scattered until the point Mrs. Watson finds Charlotte. Other than vague hints that make not much sense unless you happened to read the book blurb, no connection is made between Charlotte and Sherlock at first, which just seems odd given that *we already know.* That’s not a big reveal. It’s just confusing if, for some reason, you haven’t read the back of the cover. Or even if you have…I kept second-guessing if I had read correctly and finally went back and reread the back cover. Another sticky point for me is the method of retaliation Charlotte chose. She’s very intelligent. I found it somewhat difficult to believe she wouldn’t have worked through all the consequences of these actions and just chosen to leave the family without all that. Part, I get, is revenge against her parents. Part I can chalk up to sheltered youth. These things almost netted three stars, but the factors below redeemed it. That being said, I did love it once Charlotte met Mrs. Watson. The pace picked up considerably, and the threads drew together. I loved the title’s play on the original A Study in Scarlet and how that theme kept showing up. I enjoyed matching characters to their canon compatriots and seeing how these new relationships worked. I won’t give any away here. That was half the fun, for me anyway. I felt this underlying story, though still one of revenge, was so much harsher than Doyle’s original, dealing with a crime so dastardly that even hardened criminals, hardened killers, will wreak vengeance upon one convicted of such, if thrust into their midst. Recommended, especially if you enjoy Holmesian variant stories. I eagerly await the next book! SWIMMING LESSONS By Claire Fuller Tin House Books, $25.95, 356 pages Reviewed by Margo Orlando Littell Check this out! Ingrid Coleman has no shortage of reflections about her lessthan-ideal marriage to Gil, her former professor. Gil’s affairs, his distance from his family, his general insensitivities–all of these, Ingrid tolerates. Throughout their married life, she keeps her dissatisfactions to herself, and her silence may very well have been misunderstood by Gil as ignorance or complacence. Then, one day, she disappears. Before disappearing, she writes out the history of their marriage in a series of letters to Gil, which she hides inside his many old books. The reasons for her disappearance are not a mystery. Whether she’s alive or dead, however, is a question that haunts Gil and his daughters Flora and Nan for the rest of their lives. Fuller switches her narrative between Ingrid’s letters and the present day, twelve years after her disappearance, when an aging Gil believes he spots Ingrid on the street below his bookshop. Flora and Nan must tend to Gil as his health rapidly fails and decide for themselves whether to believe that Gil actually saw their mother. Written in lush, evocative prose, Swimming Lessons explores questions of guilt, redemption, family loyalty, and freedom in a way that offers little forgiveness for the sins committed, and the secrets kept. INVASIVE: A NOVEL By Chuck Wendig Harper Voyager, $25.99, 336 pages Reviewed by J. Aislynn d’Merricksson Check this out! Wendig’s Invasive sinks its mandibles in from the start and refuses to let go. Terse, yet eloquent, it’ll keep you up all night. Whether it’s to finish it or because you’re too afraid to sleep, well now that’s a different question altogether. And now I have the Pink Panther theme stuck in my head…. Hannah Stander, a futurist consultant for the FBI is on her way home to visit her survivalist parents when she’s called away by Agent Hollis Copper to a remote cabin in the woods with no other information than that it contains “over a thousand bodies.” Not human bodies, as it turns out. The cabin contains one badly mutilated human corpse and thousands of wee ant corpses. Like an army of tiny Ramsey Boltons, these ferocious See INVASIVE, cont’d on page 13
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 12
INVASIVE, cont’d from page 12 beasties flayed him alive before falling to the coming winter. Okay, falling to an early spring frost. Hannah’s job is to try to discover what the blazes went down here and if a crime had even been committed. She learns the ants contain proprietary genes from one Arca Labs, so off to Hawai’i she goes, to the remote Kolohe Atoll. What she uncovers is far more sinister than she ever could have imagined. And she can imagine a great deal! It’s part of her job, after all. I love the language. Descriptive yet minimal, Wendig gets his point across in graphic detail, proving you do not, in fact, need a thousand words to paint a picture. Sometimes the right four or five will do just fine. To whit: “the eyes bulging white fruits against the muscles of his cheeks and forehead.” Yeah, forget everything else, that right there freaked the bejeezus out of me. I’m very eye sensitive, having lost one. It’s clear a great deal of research went into this novel. Given the propensity today to play god and create chimeras in the lab, Invasive rings a great deal more plausible than my beloved Jurassic Park. Highly recommended, especially if you like the works of Michael Crichton, Douglas Preston, and Lincoln Child.
CHILDREN’S FICTION COMING SOON
TO TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY Search the library’s catalog at www.TulsaLibrary.org to reserve your copies now.
Heart 2 Heart by Lois Ehlert
Alphabet letters and bold, graphic images of fruits and vegetables come together in this book of pun-filled rebuses about love and friendship.
CLOSED CASKET: THE NEW HERCULE POIROT MYSTERY By Sophie Hannah, Agatha Christie William Morrow, $26.99, 320 pages Reviewed by Christina Boswell Check this out! Closed Casket is a new Hercule Poirot mystery, which involves the iconic detective visiting Lady Playford’s estate to be a deterrent to murder. As the evening wears on, Lady Playford reveals she has changed her will, throwing everyone for a loop. Things become even more strange when a murder is committed that night, but the victim is not who you would think. Can Poirot, with the help of Inspector Catchpool, manage to solve this murder and, even more difficult, figure out why it was even committed? I have grown up loving all things Agatha Christie, and Hercule Poirot happens to be my favorite. So I jumped at the chance to review this book. However, I found it to be a bit disappointing. The plot is great, as are the characters, but I personally felt you could tell this was written by someone else trying very hard to sound like Agatha Christie. It didn’t have the same feel to me as her books. I think the author did a great job, and it is close, but it’s just not the same. I still found it entertaining, and I would read Ms. Hannah’s books even if they didn’t feature Hercule Poirot. I think fans of Agatha Christie will enjoy this; just know that you will be able to tell the difference. STRIPPED BARE: A NOVEL By Shannon Baker Forge Books, $24.99, 288 pages Reviewed by Christina Boswell Check this out!
Here Comes Valentine Cat by Deborah Underwood
Cat does not want to send a valentine to anyone, until some unexpected gifts from the dog next door make him change his mind.
Odd Socks by Michelle Robinson
The love story of two socks goes awry when one of them gets a hole.
XO, OX: A Love Story by Adam Rex
This hilarious tale of an ox in love with a gazelle is told in correspondence.
Kate Fox is living her dreams in the Nebraska Sandhills. She lives on a cattle ranch with her sheriff husband, Ted, and her niece, Carly. One night she receives a call from Ted’s exgirlfriend that Carly’s grandfather has been shot as well as her husband. Not long after, Carly goes missing. Kate is determined to get to the bottom of this case, and along the way she learns a lot of her dream life might have been a lie, which leaves her feeling Stripped Bare. As she gets closer to unraveling the truth, the more dangerous it becomes, but she is not going to stop until she gets some answers. If you enjoy reading the Joanna Brady series by J.A. Jance, I think you will enjoy this book. Kate Fox and Joanna Brady are very similar in my mind, both are strong, tough women who are going to get to the bottom of the case no matter what. There are still plenty of differences, so it feels familiar without feeling like exactly the same story or person. I personally enjoyed that aspect. I liked Kate Fox from the beginning. She felt like someone you could easily relate to. The story-line is great and kept me up at night trying to guess who did it. I hope it’s a series because it is definitely left open enough for more books. I would also love to know what happens next in the life of Kate Fox.
Owl Diaries: Eva and the New Owl by Rebecca Elliott Eva wants to be friends with Hailey, the new owl in her class, but when Hailey seems to prefer Lucy’s company, Eva starts to feel left out and even a little jealous of her best friend.
Yours Truly by Heather
Vogel Frederick
When someone tries to sabotage the maple trees on her friend Franklin’s family farm, Truly Lovejoy rallies the Pumpkin Falls Private Eyes to investigate.
Secret of the Pink Pokémon by Tracey West
AFTERLIFE, cont’d from page 2 tax of the language style. I’m unsure if this book was translated or if it was meant to represent the sporadic pattern of a normal thought process, but either way this book read very strangely. At first, it was the odd way of counting age (“I turned 9.8” or “he was 13.7,” for example), but as I continued reading I was given a very strange sense of unusual family behavior. The interactions with the main character’s older brother always seemed a bit…incestuous. From asking his brother if he wants to see him make semen to the overly affectionate pet names (“my lambkin,” “my one true love,” “my tender love,” etc). It gave a very creepy overtone to the older brother that I was just unable to shake. The book was decent, but the language was very difficult for me personally.
The Orange Islands are weird! Ash and the gang discover Pokémon they’ve never seen before. Onix is made of crystal. Rhyhorn has turned pink. Marill has super sonar. And Snorlax is on a feeding frenzy!
Nancy Clancy, Late-Breaking News! by Jane O’Connor When she decides that the articles in the latest issue of the Third Grade Gazette are not interesting enough, Nancy sets out to find some news worth reporting on.
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 13
Category
Category
Cooking, Food & Wine
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MIRACLE ON 5TH AVENUE By Sarah Morgan HQN Books, $7.99, 384 pages Reviewed by Caryn Shaffer Check this out!
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MOZZA AT HOME: MORE THAN 150 CROWD-PLEASING RECIPES FOR RELAXED, FAMILY-STYLE ENTERTAINING By Nancy Silverton, Carolynn Carreno Knopf, $35.00, 411 pages Reviewed by George Erdosh Check this out! Mozza at Home is a highly sophisticated, predominantly Italian cookbook by restaurateur/chef Nancy Silverton, written for sophisticated home cooks. The average home cook will not benefit from this cookbook. Silverton uses many unusual, difficult-to-find, costly ingredients that she can purchase near her Umbria home in Italy, but the quantities are given in American units. Most of the recipes are built around a main dish with specific suggestions of side dishes, salads, and antipasti to choose from to complement the meal. The recipes are sophisticated, even pretentious, as she calls them “a collection of recipes for what and how I cook in Italy.” Although her instructions are good, Silverton tends to be extremely verbose, with often lengthy head notes. Because of long-winded text, the recipe instructions are not user-friendly. And again, because of the long text, recipe layouts are not cook-friendly, continuing on overleaf pages. Silverton tends to use a lot of I’s and mine’s. The recipes are written for a small crowd, with at least six, more often ten to twelve, servings. These are meant for weekend or festive cooking occasions. The photo illustrations of foods are beautiful. The index is not crossreferenced. This book would be better left on the coffee table. FOOD ANATOMY: THE CURIOUS PARTS & PIECES OF OUR EDIBLE WORLD By Julia Rothman, Rachel Wharton (contributor) Storey Publishing, $16.95, 224 pages Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali Check this out! There are books and there are graphic novels. This book tried to be both, and it does a good job of straddling the fence. There is just as much content conveyed by the text as there is by the illustrations. Hence it entices those who are not fond of reading to flip through the book and perhaps read a little as well (as a coffee table book does). Unlike books with pictures, the graphics in this one are virtually all line art. While the scope of the book is very broad, the depth is necessarily sacrificed. Readers craving more information will have to do their own research as the book does not provide additional references. The book has nine chapters with the first serving as an introduction. The remaining chapters cover foods by type (fruits and vegetables, grains, meats, dairy, snacks, spices, and desserts). These chapters are better organized than their titles would suggest. There is an effort to include exotic flavors along with the more traditional ones. There is a penchant toward highlighting the obscure, which makes the book attractive to adults as they are likely to learn something. The focus on breath and presenting factoids through easy text and stunning line art makes it attractive to children. Overall, this is an excellent introduction to all things about food. The narrative is easy to understand and the material is well-researched, so expert and novice readers are likely to find something they did not know, and the short segments make the book ideal for a quick read in between tasks. A fun book to introduce food facts.
A romantic idealist and a cynical true-crime novel writer make an unlikely pair in Miracle on 5th Avenue, a corny, festive novel that will tug at your heartstrings. Eva Jordan is a hopeless romantic who just wants to love someone and have them love her in return. Lucas Blade is a reclusive writer whose wife slipped on ice and died during the holiday season, and he’s still dealing with her loss. Lucas’s grandmother hires Eva’s event-planning and house-sitting service to lift Lucas’s spirits. Eva arrives at Lucas’s apartment, thinking it’s empty and planning to fill his freezer with food and decorate his house for Christmas. Little does she know, Lucas is holed away in his apartment to write his latest novel. Will Eva help Lucas get over his dead wife? Will Lucas finish his novel and learn to love again? Who are we kidding, it’s a romance novel. Of course there’s a happy ending. Sarah Morgan ropes together a contrary couple in strange circumstances. Overall, the story was sweet, and the characters were deep. Morgan breathed new life into her romance novel heroine, giving her interests, passions, and a career. Eva was a realistic person. Miracle on 5th Avenue is one of the more romantic, yet realistic, holiday-themed romance novels out there. THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE ON EARTH: A NOVEL By Lindsey Lee Johnson Random House, $27.00, 288 pages Reviewed by Lenna Stites Check this out! Molly Nicoll is a freshly minted English teacher who eagerly wants to connect with her class and starts to get attached to the lives of her students, who she doesn’t know as well as she thinks she does. Unbeknownst to Molly, her core cast of students is complicit in some way with a peer’s suicide in middle school, which is the common thread of plot that is supposed to keep the story grounded. Some of the characters’ story lines were more thorough than others, and it was sometimes hard to believe that the tragedy was the main cause for the type of people they turned out to be and the decisions they made. I didn’t necessarily attribute their personality traits to the burden of their classmate’s suicide without being actively told so. The story was strong in that certain scenes did get a reaction out of me. I felt angry at times at the behavior of some of Molly’s students but also sympathetic. It was frustrating to read in moments but also effective, as it is with many of these coming of age stories. It was a nice literary look into a darker side of adolescence that some have to deal with. THE CHILBURY LADIES’ CHOIR: A NOVEL By Jennifer Ryan Crown, $26.00, 384 pages Reviewed by Tamara Benson Check this out! “First they whisk our men away to fight, then they force us women into work, then they ration food, and now they’re closing our choir. By the time the Nazis get here they’ll be nothing left except a bunch of drab women ready to surrender.” The women of Chilbury decide they have had enough being told what to do and defy the Vicar by starting the Chilbury Ladies’ Choir led by the spirited Primrose Trent. Told through the letters and diaries of five very different and engaging ladies, the small–but important–stories of women facing WWII in small towns across Europe are illuminated in rich detail. Each woman faces individual crises and life-changing situations, but the choir is their one constant source of normalcy and support. In turns charming, humorous, and truly heart-breaking, this exquisitely crafted novel touches on topics such as politics, greed, homosexuality, and abortion. The reader is immediately drawn in to the story from the first journal entry and will want to read it all in one sitting. For the reader who loved novels like The Postmistress and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Jennifer Ryan’s The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir will be another gem to add to their bookshelf. See MRS. HOCKADAY, cont’d on page 15
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 14
Book Reviews
Fiction
YOUTH NONFICTION NEW AND COMING SOON
Cont’d from page 14 THE SECOND MRS. HOCKADAY: A NOVEL By Susan Rivers Algonquin Books, $25.95, 272 pages Reviewed by Christina Boswell Check this out!
TO TULSA CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY
Placidia Fincher becomes The Second Mrs. Hockaday when she is only seventeen and after meeting her new husband the day before. The Civil War is going on, and her husband serves in the Confederate Army. His first wife has just died, leaving a small child for Placidia to raise. After only two days of marriage, her husband is called back to his regiment, and she is left alone to care for a child that is not hers and their farm, with only some servants to help her. Her husband returns two years later to find his wife has had a child and it died. He immediately asks for an inquest to try to figure out how is wife could have committed such a crime in his absence. In her research, Susan Rivers came upon a case like this, and this story is her fictionalization of that account. It is told through letters and diary entries, giving it a more intimate feel, as if you are seeing a side to this story you wouldn’t normally get to if you had just heard about the crime. Placidia comes across as a very strong woman who has to grow up quite quickly. I can’t imagine being that young and being isolated with so much responsibility and in a time of war. Things turn out differently than you might expect. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down.
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Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland • The first female AfricanAmerican principal dancer in American Ballet Theater history recounts her road to stardom, from her first ballet class to her rise through the professional ranks while dealing with a challenging home life.
Amazing Cardboard Tube Science
by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen• Offers instructions on creating science projects involving cardboard tubes, including building a kazoo, marshmallow shooter and marble run.
Cont’d from page 9
Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer
THE EMPTY ONES: A NOVEL By Robert Brockway Tor Books, $24.99, 288 pages Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Check this out! 2013 has been a strange year for Kaitlyn. The six-fingered former stuntwoman was romanced by her childhood crush Marco, only to discover he was a soulless monster (and not just the usual Hollywood kind). She then crossed paths with Carey, a ‘70s-era punk who has battled similar creatures -- plus tar men, faceless goons, and angels that consume the innocent. All in all, Kaitlyn’s life sucks. And it’s about to get worse because her hunt for Marco leads to some unpleasant discoveries. The Empty Ones is Robert Brockway’s uproarious, insane follow-up to The Unnoticeables, and he manages to ratchet up the ridiculousness, the humor, and the stakes in equal measure, adding to the lore of his bizarre world and delving deeper into Carey’s past as the worst hero the world has ever known. This is everything a sequel should be. Carey is as funny, offensive, and noble as ever, Kaitlyn really comes into her own as a character (after being mostly a plot device in the first book), and you seriously worry about what may become of sidekicks Jackie and Randall. I have no idea where this series will go next, but I can’t wait to find out. BLACK PANTHERS, cont’d from page 5 understand democracy in action. He considered them a threat, possibly because of their support for revolutions around the globe. This book is so interesting. Rather than focusing on key leaders such as Huey Newton, Bobby Seales, and the martyred Fred Hampton, the authors have interviewed those who functioned at the grassroots level of the party throughout the country. Those interviewees discuss their recruitment or enlistment into the party, the type of work they performed and — in many cases — what caused them to leave the party. The back of the book features a good index and archive documenting the party’s persecution. This is a wonderful book and helpful in understanding how a grassroots movement can perform miracles and how tragically it can end.
TOUSSAINT, cont’d from page 5 importance during the time of the struggle for the rights of men. Rather than being only an insurrectionist, L’Ouverture was concerned with controlling and building a government that would endure. In order to accomplish that aim, he had to unify the country by including literate men in his government, even though they were the same white planters who had enslaved the black population. Consider that the United States and France had recently rebelled against their kings in order to establish human rights. By contrast, L’Ouverture did not want to break the bonds with France; however, their rule proved too constraining for him. It is interesting to note that a man who began life as a slave became literate enough to negotiate successfully in the world arena and best those who considered him inferior by nature. He proved to be a brilliant strategist and policy framer. This is an interesting biography and well worth the read.
Tulsa Book Review • February 2017 • 15
by Diane Stanley • A picture-book introduction to the life and achievements of computer programming pioneer Ada Lovelace describes her relationship with her poet father, Lord Byron, and her mathematical-genius mother, Annabella, and the creative ideas that inspired her work a century before the digital age.
To Burp or Not to Burp: A Guide to Your Body in Space by Dave Williams
Written for kids ages 7 to 10, this book uses ageappropriate language to explain the different phenomena that astronauts encounter during a mission. The bright, colorful pages, short blocks of text accompanied by photos and humorous illustrations make this a very attractive choice for young readers. The opening message from Dr. Dave empowers kids to follow his example by believing in themselves and following their dreams.
A Year Full of Stories by Angela McAllister This treasury of 52 stories collects together a rich resource of myths, fairy tales and legends from around the world, with a story for every week of the year. The book is broken into 12 chapters, for each of the 12 months of the year, and throughout, stories are matched to internationally celebrated dates, including Valentine’s Day and the International Day of Friendship, as well as seasonal events and festivals. Oh, Ick! 117 Science Experiments Guaranteed to Gross You Out!
by Joy Masoff • Kids love to be grossed out. And now the doyenne of disgusting, Joy Masoff, lets kids get their hands dirty – really dirty – with 117 interactive ick-speriments and ick-tivities that delve into the science behind everything disgusting. Its this A-Z compendium, kids can stage an Ooze Olympics to demonstrate viscosity. Observe how fungi grow by making a Mold Zoo.
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