Book Review: First Love by James Patterson & Emily Raymond

            This month I have something a bit different to recommend; a Young Adult novel written by James Patterson and Emily Raymond: First Love.

            This title was published earlier this year and tells the story of two teenagers who embark on an amazing journey of discovery. Axi is a sixteen year old girl who has suffered much through her life: a younger sister who died of a cancer that she herself is battling, a mother who chose to leave her family after the sister’s death and Axi’s diagnosis, and a father who is slowly drinking away his sorrows. Axi was always the good-girl; predictable, responsible, and eager to please others…until one day she decides it is time to break free of her good-girl ways and drag her best friend Robinson off on an adventure across the United States. Robinson’s good humour, bad-boy ways, and incredible magnetism helps Axi break free from her fears and find the courage to ask for what she wants most in the world.

            I would recommend this title to teens (or adults) who have enjoyed stories written by author Lurlene McDaniel, Jodi Picoult, or even Nicholas Sparks. The storyline is perhaps a bit predictable, but it cleverly mirrors the main theme of the book: It really is about the journey- not the destination!

            So grab some ice cream or chocolate (or whatever your go-to comfort food of choice may be,) and sit down for a few minutes with this title. I don’t think you will be able to put it down for very long! The library has many copies of this book available and it is also available as an eBook.
Review by Diana McCarthy, community librarian in Falkland

Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

        I am happy to report that I have just finished reading Diana Gabaldon’s eighth title in the Outlander Series: “ Written in my own Heart’s Blood.” This title takes place directly after book seven and features more of the characters, adventures, joys, and sorrows dedicated readers of this series love. But for those who aren’t interested in this series, or haven’t yet caught the reading bug for these stories; I would like to introduce you to something a little bit different.
         “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” (also available as an ebook) was published back in 2011 by Ransom Riggs (this being his first novel) and is considered to be a children’s chapter book. I read this title last year and was thoroughly impressed with the storyline, themes, and characters. I see that Tim Burton is working on a movie version of this story set to be released sometime next year…and that a sequel to this story was published this past January.
         The main character, Jacob Portman, witnesses his tall-tale-telling grandfather’s death at the hands of a hideous monster that apparently only Jacob can see. Shortly after, Jacob travels with his father to a small island near Wales which is near the orphanage that his grandfather had lived in for a time when he was a child. Jacob sets out to explore the remains of the old orphanage but instead encounters far more than he could ever have imagined. (The plot is rather twisty and complex so I won’t explain it all and ruin the magic for you!)
         If you like adventure stories with a bit of “spooky” this would be a great choice. I would recommend this title to adults, young adults, and kids alike (though some younger kids might find the book a bit disturbing…but with some parental discussion they should manage just fine!) If you want to beat the rush that will likely happen when trailers for the movie start coming out; pick up a copy today! The library or a good bookstore should be able to provide you with a copy of this amazing story.


Book Review by Diana McCarthy, Community Librarian in Falkland

Get Ready for Back to School!

     With summer vacation coming to an end, it’s time to get ready for school!
     To prepare preschool children for Kindergarten, we recommend two great picture books:  Pete The Cat: The Wheels on the Bus by James Dean; and The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen in which Mr. Fish tells about his challenging , but fun first day of school.
     If you love playing video games, you should login to The Nerdy Dozen by Jeff Miller. Neil Andertol and his video game buddies are recruited by the Air Force, after hacking into a classified military training program.
     Unexpected and dire consequences result when best friends Matt and Craz’s cartoons become real on a weird web site at Kilgore Junior High!  Draw your own conclusions in The Awesome, Almost 100% True Adventures of Matt & Craz written by Alan Silberberg.
     Once homework starts, you will be checking out the library, so read The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand by Jan Swann Downey.  Accidentally opening a portal to Petrarch’s Library, Dorrie and her brother Marcus uncover warrior librarians, who travel in time, protecting the world’s great thinkers from torture and death for sharing knowledge and ideas.
     A graduation day of another type awaits teen readers in Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau, in which the United Commonwealth wants to stop the rebel alliance fighting to destroy The Testing for Good.  Find out if Cia is ready to lead the chase, with her classmates following her into battle. 
     Every teen needs school spirit, but when fifteen-year old Izzy, whose ancestors were monster hunters, investigates hauntings in his new high school, he gets an icy reception!  Ghosts wreak havoc in School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins.
    School stories of all sorts are available at your local library.  Check out our website at www.orl.bc.ca  or ask a librarian for books, programs and more!

Written by Linda Youmans, Youth Collections/System Librarian, Okanagan Regional Library

Who Says Teens Today Don’t Read?! YA Book Reviews

Library Page Cameron Bridge displays

some new and notable young adult titles

     Who says teens today don’t read?! According to Publisher’s Weekly, young adult fiction is the fastest growing publication category right now. Buoyed by successful trilogies such as The Hunger Games and Divergent, books for young adults continue to gain in popularity thanks to media tie-ins. This summer’s blockbuster movie, The Fault in our Stars, for example, was based on John Green’s book of the same title; there’s the upcoming If I Stay film, based on Gayle Forman’s book as well as the much anticipated The Giver based on Lois Lowry’s classic title. Not surprisingly, young adult fiction is popular not only with teens but with adults too. The biggest demographic group buying YA titles are those ages 18 to 29. Here are a few other notable YA books to check out this summer:

Cabin Girl (Orca Currents) by Kristin Butcher
When 16-year old Bailey takes on a summer job at a fly-in fishing lodge, she gets more than she bargained for. Written by award-winning Canadian author Kristin Butcher, this Orca title, like all of those in the series, is a fast-paced read that will appeal not only to older, reluctant or struggling teen readers but also to stronger readers looking for a quick, engaging story.

Ungifted by Gordon Korman (ages 10-14)
After pulling a major prank at middle school, troublemaker Donovan Curtis is mistakenly sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special program for gifted and talented students. In typical Korman style, situations are presented hilariously, and the underlying message that we all have different gifts to bring is subtle yet insightful.

Threatened by Eliot Schrefer (ages 12-16)
An African boy living on the streets of Gabon escapes his jailer by heading into the forest with a scientist who is not entirely what he seems. They've come to study chimpanzees, but when the scientist disappears, the boy must fend for himself — and then join forces with the chimps to save their habitat from unwelcome intruders.  This action/adventure/survival story has received a lot of critical acclaim.

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (recommended for older teens due to subject matter)
This graphic novel by Canadian cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki is a coming of age story that would appeal to older teens, particularly reluctant readers since there is not a lot of text. Rose and her parents have been going to Awago Beach since she was a little girl. It’s her summer getaway, her refuge. Her friend Windy is always there too, like the younger sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose’s mom and dad won’t stop fighting, and Rose and Windy find themselves tangled up in a tragedy in the small town. It’s a summer of secrets and heartache…and ultimately hope.

By Elena Doeble, Head Librarian at the Westbank Branch

Random Acts of Libraryness by James Laitinen at Salmon Arm Branch

As the great Austin Powers once said, “Allow myself to introduce myself”.  I am the new Branch

James & Roswitha at Roswitha's
Retirement Party

Head Librarian at the Salmon Arm Library.   Having grown up in Salmon Arm, it’s great to be back.  Thanks again to Roswitha Klawitter for her 18 exuberant years as Branch Head, and we wish her all the best in her new adventures.  We also bid a fond farewell to Colleen Smith, who worked 16 years at the Circulation Desk.

Random Acts of Libraryness

Maybe I’m being lazy with my first column, but I thought I would start off by highlighting some of the many services offered at the library:
• We’re more than just books (although we have a lot of those).  We have movies, TV series on DVD, audiobooks on CD, free Wi-Fi, workstations with internet access and Microsoft Office.  And people to help answer your questions (because Google and Siri just haven’t mastered the personal touch).
• Looking for something to read, but the library is closed?  You can download hundreds of magazines for free from our Zinio magazine collection.  Just a small sample of available titles:  Car and Driver, Rolling Stone, Knitters Magazine, Harvard Business Review, The Walrus, Shape, Us Weekly, Wood Magazine and many, many more.  Click on the ‘Zinio for Libraries’ icon on our homepage (www.orl.bc.ca), and start your own personal collection.
• If you’re having problems downloading eBooks or audiobooks to your eReader or tablet, you can make an appointment with myself or Alice, and we can show you the process from start to finish.  Just phone the library at 250-832-6161 or email us at salmonarm@orl.bc.ca
• Many of you audiobook-philes have probably discovered our collection of OverDrive downloadable audiobooks, but don’t forget our OneClick collection, which includes a number of Canadian titles
• Are you looking after kids yet in August, but have run out of reading ideas for them?  If you’re looking for advice, just head to the ‘Custom Booklist’ link on our website.  One of our librarians will create a booklist of 5 children or young adult titles
• Do you need to scan and email a document?  Our photocopier can scan and email a PDF copy of any document you need to send
• Did you know that we have books in other languages?  Our collection includes books in French, Chinese, Dutch, German, Japanese, Punjabi and Spanish.  We just got a brand new batch of books in Spanish.

Roots and Blues

If you’re going to Roots and Blues, and want to preview some of the performers, dig into our deep CD collection.  We have a wide range of titles, from headliners such as The Sheepdogs and Ian Tyson to emerging talents like Shad and MonkeyJunk.

Staff Picks

Ardie, our Youth Services Librarian, recommends Glimpse: The Dean Curse Chronicles by Steven Whibley, a Canadian author whose style is reminiscent of Gordon Korman and Sigmund Brouwer.    This is a thriller for ages 9-12 about, as the author describes “24 hours to save a life”.

And In Other Library News

• Saturday Afternoon Book Club:  Join Alice on Saturday, August 23 to discuss The Golden Spruce:  A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed by John Vaillant, which won the 2005 Governor General’s Literary Award for Nonfiction.  Check out our branch webpage for upcoming book club titles (http://www.orl.bc.ca/branches/salmon-arm)
• We will be launching a new version of our catalogue and website in early October.  If you have been using the Enhanced Catalogue, the new catalogue will be quite similar in look and feel. 

Column by James Laitinen, new Head Librarian for the Salmon Arm Branch
This column was first published in the FRIDAY AM Paper

Book Review: Force of Nature by C.J. Box

Force of Nature (2012) by American crime writer C.J. Box is an “exquisitely designed, six-act mystery” according to a Library Journal review, that uses falconry for its central metaphor without ever losing the necessary drive to make this a riveting read. In other words, it works on more than one level, a common attribute of great art.

  This is the author’s 12th Joe Pickett novel and focuses on Joe’s outlaw friend, Nate Romanowski. Nate hides from his enemies in the foothills of Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains, where he raises and flies his falcons, except when he helps game warden Joe on cases. But he realizes his former sociopath Special Forces commander is hunting him down and systematically killing all his known associates. Joe and his family are on the list and it forces him to consider how far he can go to help his friend Nate.

 The struggle between loyalty and law is not a new theme for the author. It infuses the entire Joe Pickett series, a work primarily set in the wilds of Wyoming far from the legal support systems found in big cities. This exploration of the theme is notably impressive in this superb entry.

Review by Peter Critchley of the Vernon Branch

Book Review: Original Sin by P.D. James

British author P.D. James, critically acclaimed by such literary journals as the Times Literary Supplement and Literary Review, is another writer whose finest work transcends the mystery genre. Original Sin (1994), featuring New Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh, is set in the modern publishing world and showcases the author’s uncanny penetration into even the most minor of characters. The characters live on the page with a fierce intensity, even deeper than the mystery at Innocent House occupied by the venerable publishing firm of Peverell Press.

 The directors of the firm believe the suicide of senior editor Sonia Clements in the archive room of Innocent House is the last and most shocking episode in a series of disruptions to their business. But their troubles have barely begun as they learn when they open the door to discover the body of managing director Gerard Etienne dead of carbon monoxide poisoning, with his dead jaws open and the head of a stuffed snake stuck inside. Commander Dalgliesh is assigned to investigate and ferret out motives and opportunity that lead to a hair-raising resolution.

Review by Peter Critchley of the Vernon Branch

Book Review: Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke

The best work of James Lee Burke, an American author who grew up in Louisiana, probably justifies the belief of the Denver Post that he is “America’s best novelist” working today. A great example is the Tin Roof Blowdown (2008), a novel that is meticulously textured and as vibrant and vital as the thick, green stands of fern and white and purple irises of the Louisiana swamps and bayous.

 This is the 16th novel in the author’s award-winning Dave Robicheaux series, a tale of sin and redemption set in the nightmare world of Hurricane Katrina. It just might be the most complete work he’s ever written. When Detective Robicheaux’s department is assigned to investigate the shooting of two looters in a wealthy neighborhood, he learns they ransacked the home of New Orleans’s most powerful and ruthless mobster. Now he must find the surviving looter before others do and in the process learn the fate of a priest who disappeared in the ill-fated ninth ward trying to rescue his trapped parishioners.

  The author’s luxuriant prose draws the reader into a swamp of greed and violence. Grace and perdition touch each of the characters and the final outcome of the struggles they face is never quite certain, much like what occurred in the aftermath of Katrina. Mr. Burke often uses Louisiana more as a character than a setting in the Robicheaux novels and this time the approach works wonderfully to convey the true horrors and add another dimension to the tale.

Review by Peter Critchley from the Vernon Branch

Beware of Summer Brain Drain!

Assistant Community Librarian Raphael Desjarlais.

     Raphael not only works at the Westbank and Mission branches of the Okanagan Regional Library, but she is also the School Librarian at Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School in West Kelowna; consequently, Raphael is a great person to ask about book recommendations for school-age kids!
     Raphael and her family have lived in the Lakeview area of West Kelowna for the past 17 years.

Beware, Summer Brain Drain!
     A disturbing but well documented fact is that children’s academic performance declines by approximately one month during the summer. This loss, called Summer Slide, or Summer Learning Loss, or Brain Drain, is cumulative over time. Children who do not read during the summer can have their reading skills slip entire grade levels during the course of their elementary years.
     Children often stop learning in the summer and instead focus on indoor activities that are sedentary and involve electronic devices like video games, television and social media sites. Research shows that if they participate in summer reading programs they can actually make academic gains over the summer. In order to stem academic decline children need to be exposed to high-quality summer learning opportunities. The catch is, where to find these opportunities?
     One easy, free method is to simply visit the library. We offer a variety of programs, materials and electronic resources that expose children to learning and cultural experiences. The Westbank Library‘s Summer Reading Club offers weekly reading activities and cultural programs including a magic show, clown, drawing class, puppet show and balloon art. There are also weekly contests with prizes.
     Every study recommends taking children to the library to stem reading loss, so please visit the Westbank branch either in person or online this summer!

Series Recommendations for Summer Reading:

Kung Pow Chicken by Cyndi Marko
This series is an early chapter book for children who have just become independent readers. Low vocabulary but high interest content with illustrations on every page.

Bad Kitty by Nick Burel
Again a high interest, low vocabulary book with lots of illustrations. Appealing to both boys and girls this book is for emergent readers that can decode information from illustrations and contextual clues.

Nancy Clancy by Jane O’Connor
Transitioning from picture books to chapter books, the Fancy Nancy character with her excellent vocabulary now includes educational themes in her story lines.

Land of Stories Series by Chris Colfer
Aimed at pre-teens and written by “Glee” actor Chris Colfer this series is an entertaining and imaginative story of kids in a fairy tale world. Even though some of the books reviews have been critical of Colfer’s writing, I have not found a child who did not enjoy the book.

Did You Know?
The Okanagan Regional Library’s website features educational databases as well as an online catalogue where children can browse for library material. One recommended database is TumbleBook Library for Kids. TumbleBooks is an online, multilingual tool that allows children to read electronically. The site offers story books, chapter books, math stories, puzzles, educational games and a library of animated books that is an excellent tool for emergent or beginner readers. Access this database free with your Library card!


Elena Dobel is the Branch Head for the Westbank Branch of the Okanagan Regional Library. Her columns run monthly in the Westside Weekly newspaper.

Science Fiction Book Talk!

     The genesis of science fiction can be traced directly to the publication of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley more than two centuries ago. It grew so popular in the decades that followed to where today the genre  greatly influences modern popular culture through movies, television, books and a myriad of computer games.
     It is not every reader’s cup of tea but some science fiction authors are terrific storytellers and their work is easily accessible to readers of other genres, especially when time travel is used as a device to drive the story. Everyone can identify with the thought of travelling time.
      Blackout and All Clear (2010), a stunning two-volume work, clearly illustrates multiple prize-winning author Connie Willis well deserves the critical acclaim she’s earned as an incomparable storyteller. The first novel in the series is an enormously entertaining tale of time travel, war and the deeds—great and small—of the ordinary people who shape history.
     Oxford in 2060 is a chaotic place, with scores of time-travelling historians being sent into the past. Michael Davies is preparing to go to Pearl Harbor, Merope Ward is struggling with a group of bratty 1940s evacuees and Polly Churchill’s next assignment will be as a shopgirl in the middle of London’s Blitz. But the time-travel lab is now cancelling assignments for no apparent reason and switching everyone’s schedules.
     When Michael, Merope and Polly finally travel to World War II it only grows worse. They face blackouts, unexploded bombs, dive-bombing Stukas, rationing, shrapnel, V-1s and two of the most incorrigible children in all of history, to say nothing of a growing unease that not only are their assignments but the war and history itself are spinning out of control. The once-reliable mechanisms of time travel are showing significant glitches and the three heroes begin to question their most firmly held belief that no historian can possibly change the past.
     Blackout and All Clear reveal a side of World War II seldom seen before: a dangerous desperate world where there are no civilians and everybody, from the Queen to the lowliest barmaid, is determined to do what they can to help a beleaguered nation survive.
     The Map of Time (2011) by renowned Spanish author Felix Palma is a riveting thriller that explores the impact of time travel in three intersecting narratives. The opening chapter of the story, set in 1896 England, starts out like a tragic Victorian romance. Andrew Harrington plans to take his own life, despondent over the death years earlier of his lover, the last victim of Jack the Ripper. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Claire Haggerty plots to escape her restrictive role by escaping to the future via Murray’s Time Travel, a new commercial concern that offers such a trip for a hefty fee.
     Finally, Colin Garrett of Scotland Yard believes a weapon from the future could only have caused a fatal wound on a murder victim. H.G. Wells, the author of The Time Machine, becomes involved and serves to link all three stories. The Map of Time is a wonderful blend of genres, including science fiction, steampunk, mystery and romance, and will appeal to a wide range of readers even if they seldom read science fiction.
    The Accidental Time Machine (2007) by Joe W. Haldeman is an unusually insightful and evocative tale that shines. Matt Fuller, a likeable underachiever stuck in a rut as a lab research assistant at MIT in the near future, is startled when a calibrator he has built begins to disappear and reappear, apparently springing forward in time for progressively longer intervals. The young research assistant eventually develops a time machine but when he claims to have done so it costs him his job, girlfriend and possibly his freedom.
     A keen curiosity and a series of unfortunate accidents hurtles Matt through different futures and he gradually becomes more adaptable and resourceful as the experiences hone his character. The young woman he rescues from a techno-religious dictatorship offers him a chance to develop a mature relationship. He also teams up with an AI that intends to press on to the end of time and this forces Matt to decide what he truly wants from life.
     The Accidental Time Machine is a brisk cautionary fable that ultimately spins a humorous, provocative tale that in tone is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys, another bewitching tale. It is also easily accessible and well worth the effort.

Reviews by Peter Critchley from the Vernon Branch

Book Review: The Imposter Bride

  Another talented Richler has emerged on the Canadian literature scene. Mordecai Richler's second cousin, Nancy Richler, has set her third novel,    The Imposter Bride (2012) in post WWII Jewish Montreal.

     The stories of the two central characters, Lily Kramer (the bride of the book's title) & her daughter, Ruth, are told in alternating chapters. Lily Azerov, a Holocaust survivor, arrives in Montreal in 1946 from Poland, under a false name for an arranged marriage, only to be rejected immediately by her intended groom, but accepted by one of his brothers instead. This actually happened to Richler's paternal grandmother.

     Richler has drawn on her own experiences of growing up in postwar Jewish Montreal, a community where loss & dislocation lay at the core of so many people’s lives. The women at the heart of this narrative are grandmothers, mothers, wives & daughters, each one of them harbouring personal grievances, grief, pain & passion, all connected by the enigmatic Lily. In many ways this is a mystery novel; the question of who Ruth’s mother actually is propels the narrative, as pieces of her story are slowly revealed, leaving the reader hanging until near the end. I do not want to give too much of the plot away. The question of identity lies at the heart of this novel: Ruth delves into the past, her own & her mother's, to salvage & make sense of her own fragile identity.

     This novel is both heartrending & hopeful. As author Ellen Feldman states: “Nancy Richler dissects the mysteries of family bonds and betrayals with stunning emotional precision and magical insights into the human heart’s ability to heal.”

 Diana Inselberg is a retired librarian and resident of Enderby.

Book Review: Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

     Recently I picked up a copy of the title “Still Missing” by Chevy Stevens. I had read the synopsis for this story online and immediately placed a request for this title to come in for me at the library. When I opened the book and began reading I had a feeling that I had read something like it already...yeah, because I had already read this story a few years ago. So don't worry if this happens to you sometimes- I am 34 years old and this is certainly not the first time it has happened (nor will it be the last I'm sure.)

     I happily spent a few minutes skimming through the book, reliving the storyline, characters, and plot. I remembered too much of it to bother re-reading it, but enjoyed flipping through it and refreshing my memories. This story was recommended to me by one of my library customers (Thanks again) and I really liked it!

 

     Set in Vancouver Island (the author's stomping grounds) it tells the story of a female Realtor who is abducted and held for many months before managing to escape. The story focuses on this time in her life as well as how she handles her life after (with a few plot twists and turns to keep things interesting and exciting.) If you like a good thriller and don't mind some colourful language and descriptions of sexual abuse, this could be an enjoyable book for you.

 

     In many respects it reminded me a bit of “Room” by Emma Donoghue; but I found it to be a bit less “heady.” Chevy Stevens has several other books that I will be exploring in the coming months; including one due to come out on June 17th of this year called “That Night.” You can place your name on the request list now at the library – stop by the branch, give me a call, or give it a try online! At least we can all be confident that it will be one book we haven't already read!

Review by Diana McCarthy, Community Librarian, Falkland Branch

 

Book Review: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

     There has been a lot of buzz about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (2012).  Another first novel, this one's plot is unusual & unpredictable, but ultimately very captivating.
     Harold is a retired sales representative, married, & living a quiet, unfulfilled life in a small English town. He is an ordinary man, one who does not voice his feelings, who plods on whatever life throws his way. A letter from a former work colleague, telling him that she is dying, but wanting to say goodbye, sets the rest of the story in motion. Harold replies. When he goes out to post the letter at the mailbox at the end of the road, he unwittingly, (at first), starts a long journey by foot, without returning home. As the result of a chance encounter, he convinces himself that his 600 mile journey will help his old friend survive. He carries nothing, walking in “yachting” shoes. His journey becomes a pilgrimage, a tale about the journey being more important than the end itself. Along the way he ponders his life, his marriage, his relationship with his son, all of his past. He meets a wildly varied cast of characters who help him see his life in an entirely new light. His voice alternates in the novel with that of his wife, Maureen; we see her struggles as she also undergoes a transformation as the result of Harold's “unlikely pilgrimage”.
     It is a well written story about faith, persistence, hope, redemption, second chances, & opening oneself to the world. The Daily Mail (UK)'s reviewer said “It's a deceptively simple novel about the anguish of regret, the importance of faith, and the redemptive power of love...humorous, moving and profound...one of the best books you'll read this year”.
    
Do yourself a favour & take a walk with Harold.

Diana Inselberg is a retired librarian and resident of Enderby, who has worked at various Okanagan Regional Library branches.

Book Review: I am Malala

A few weeks ago I forgot my E-reader at home and had to find a real, live, book to read on my break at work...yes, sadly I have become one of “those” people who regularly use (and really and truly adore) an electronic reading device. I went searching and came across a title that several people had recommended I read: “I am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb (published in 2013.)

What an amazing book! The story takes the reader to some of the small towns and villages of Pakistan; describing the history of the area and it's inhabitants while focusing on the time just before and after the 9-11 attacks in the United States. I was shocked to discover how little I really know about the people living in the Middle East during this time period. It was eye-opening for me to read about the things that they did not have access to, the money for, or even the right to ask for. The main character “Malala” is a young girl whose family longs for stability, peace, and a political climate that encourages education -especially that of females. The story describes their fear, their courage, and their tenacity as they strive to hold on to things that are slowly and methodically being stolen from them by or with complacency of those who should be protecting them.

This book served not only to highlight my ignorance of this part of the world and it's affairs; but made me grateful to live in a country where the concept of personal freedom may not be perfect- but it is a heck of a lot better than millions of others experience! I would recommend this title to anyone who is experiencing good mental health and a desire to become more globally aware. The library has copies available and I suspect you can find this title at practically any store that sells books...it is an excellent read, but it's not for those who can't stand a little sadness in their stories.

Diana McCarthy, Community Librarian, Falkland Branch

Book Review: The Secret of the Blue Trunk

I just finished reading the true story (although catalogued as fiction)  “The Secret of the Blue Trunk” by Lise Dion. I started reading it last Saturday afternoon around 2pm, could not put it down, and read straight through until Sunday 3am.   After the death of her mother, Lise was packing away her mother’s items when she discovered the key to the blue trunk.  Lise was never permitted to open the blue trunk throughout her childhood, and often wondered what it contained.  She opened the trunk and discovered a photograph of her mother wearing a nun’s habit, and 5 notebooks.  This book is a translation of those five notebooks which reveal the amazing history of Lise’s mother, how she came to be a nun, and the powerful story of how she survived almost 5 years as a prisoner of war in Germany during WWII.

 

Review by Monica Gaucher, Area Librarian North

It's a Marathon - Diana Gabaldon Keeps You Reading!

     Wow! 1344 pages in 3 weeks. Yes, I am proud to report that I am one more step closer to finishing my Diana Gabaldon marathon. Can I finish the seventh book: “An Echo in the Bone” before the upcoming release of the eighth book in June of this year? It is possible...this title boasts a measly 1078 pages...good grief! Thankfully the fate of the world, my life, or my career does not hang in the balance!

     The storyline for this series is filled with adventure, heartache, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural. The characters in the story are all wonderfully conceived and full of flaws, idiosyncrasies, and endearing qualities. Even those you want to hate you begin to love..just a little! Certainly it is enough to keep most people thoroughly entertained and focused on reading far past the time they should be snoring softly into their pillows. My husband laughs when I say “sure, just one more page,” or “be right there, just have a few pages left to read” as he knows it will be ages before I raise my bleary eyes from my Kobo reader and join him in the real world. But isn't that what many of us love about reading? The escape from reality into a world that is more exciting, romantic, prosperous, wonderful than our own? So if you are wanting an escape from your life for a few minutes – try a book. And if you feel that a Diana Gabaldon marathon isn't appealing – there are thousands of other wonderful books that could be just what you are looking for!

     So now as I begin to reach the light at the end of my reading tunnel I am feeling just a bit sad. All  readers know that reaching the end of a great story brings a feeling of accomplishment but also a measure of sadness as the magic of the story can never really be captured again. So if you have read something wonderful let me know! I should be ready in 2-6 months (finger's crossed!).

 

By Diana McCarthy, Community Librarian, Falkland

 

Amazing True Stories!

At the Library

This month’s Westbank Branch book recommendations come from Assistant Community Librarian Catherine Mamo.

Catherine has worked for the Okanagan Regional Library for over seven years. She works in several branches, but calls the Westbank branch home. Catherine enjoys delivering storytimes and other children’s programs.

Many of you may not know that Catherine is a published author! Look for her book of poetry, Paperwhite, in our collection. She has also taught Creative Writing courses.

Catherine reads “everything” (fiction, nonfiction and poetry) except genre fiction. She enjoys memoirs and stories that are based on true events.

Catherine lives in Peachland with her family and a menagerie of animals!

 

SOME AMAZING TRUE STORIES:

 

The Girl with No Name: The True Story of a Girl Who Lived With Monkeys
By  Marina Chapman

A girl of three, kidnapped then abandoned in the rainforest, survives for five years by following, watching and finally joining a troop of Capuchin monkeys. Once “rescued” she ends up enslaved and beaten by the owner of a brothel. She escapes only to begin a life as one of many homeless children on the mean streets of Colombia. The monkeys definitely come off better than the humans in this amazing memoir. Could it really be true?

 

 

 

The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius
By Kristine Barnett

Faced with her son Jake’s diagnosis of severe autism, Kristine refuses to give up on her child. In the process of helping Jake grow and flourish, she discovers new ways of encouraging autistic children to develop by igniting their “spark.” Turns out Jake is a genius with an IQ higher than Einstein who is now doing advanced research into quantum physics.

 

 

 

Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia
By Marya Hornbacher

This devastating memoir documents Hornbacher’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia from a very young age. Eating disorders plague her into young adulthood and she barely survives. For anyone trying to understand these complex mental illnesses, Wasted is a gripping and terrifying account by an intelligent young woman. Not for the faint of heart.

 

 

 

 

The Great Pearl Heist: London's Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard's Hunt for the World's Most Valuable Necklace
By  Molly Caldwell Crosby

Here’s one for history fans. The Great Pearl Heist is a romp through Edwardian London on the trail of some very smart jewel thieves. Joseph Grizzard and his gang have just stolen the most valuable string of pearls ever known. But will they get away with it? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

 

Wave: A Memoir
By Sonali Deraniyagala

The tsunami of 2004 took Deraniyagala’s entire family—children, husband and both parents-- while they were holidaying on the Sri Lankan coast. How does a person bear such grief? This is not a happy memoir but it is moving and skillfully written.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss
By Edmund De Waal

This book tells the story of the wealthy and cultured Ephrussi family. De Waal inherits a collection of small Japanese carvings known as Netsuke from his uncle in Tokyo. In trying to learn more about the carvings he uncovers a compelling family history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Mountain of Gold - High-seas Adventure

The Mountain of Gold (2012) is the buoyant sequel to the first novel by J.D. Davies (Gentleman Captain) that continues the valiant antics of Matthew Quinton, a young captain in King Charles II’s royal navy in 1663. This grand adventure begins when a captured Muslim pirate, who turns out to be an Irish renegade, tells Quinton a preposterous tale about a mountain of gold in Africa. King Charles, blinded by greed, does not hang the pirate but orders Quinton, his ship and the Irishman on an inauspicious expedition to Dutch-held West Africa to find the treasure.

 Before setting sail, Quinton attempts to passionately dissuade his older brother from marrying a mysterious French vixen who may have murdered her previous husbands, a marriage arranged by the king. Once out to sea, the captain’s mission is anything but straightforward—his own brother-in-law warns him that his mission to Africa must not succeed--and the complicated expedition tests his crew and England’s reputation as a maritime power to the utmost.

 Davies, a noted historian on the 17-century British navy, vividly captures the romance of high-seas adventure as well as the era’s politics, battles and tactics that shape his intrepid sea captain.

Book Review: The Secret River - Provocative and Illuminating

The Secret River (2006) by Orange Prize-winning author Kate Grenville is a provocative novel of the settlement of New South Wales by exiled British criminals. It is the illuminating story of husband, father and petty thief William Thornhill and the path he followed from the utter poverty of the slums of London to prison and finally freedom. When he sentenced to death for stealing some lumber his sentence of death is commuted to transportation to Australia with his pregnant wife, Sal, and a flock of children. 

Thornhill leads a life of convict servitude, the fate of all those transported to the new British colony, and gradually works his way through the penal system until he transforms himself into a trader on the Hawkesbury River. He regularly sails by an appealing piece of virgin soil and when he gains his freedom he and his family move onto the land, raise another rude hut and begin to cultivate corn.

But he soon realizes the British are not the first people to settle in New South Wales and he and his family forge a tenuous coexistence with a small band of Aborigines camping nearby. The uneasy relationship is shattered by violence by other settlers on the river and Thornhill is drawn into the storm against his will.

Review by Peter Critchley of the Vernon Branch

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series - Put it on your "To Read" List!

This month I am looking back at a series that has been around for quite some time. It is a series that has been sitting on my “To Read” list for a number of years but I haven’t had the mental fortitude to get started until this past November. The bulk of the books are about 1000 pages- so they aren’t for the faint of heart! The first novel in the Outlander Saga by Diana Gabaldon (pronounced as GAH-bull-dohn [rhymes with "stone"])is Outlander. It was published in 1991 with a new novel or related novella released every few years after. The eighth book in this series is set for publication in June of this year (and with any luck I will be ready to read it then…currently I have just started book 5.)

        For those who enjoyed George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (aka: The Game of Thrones series) this would be a series to consider trying. The storyline is generally speaking geared towards women readers (the main character is a female and it tends towards a romantic storyline) but would be enjoyed by anyone curious about things such as time-travel, stone circles, Medicinal practices of the 1700’s, English/Scottish historical events and politics. When I finished the first book I was utterly amazed at the amount of information I learned about the time period, the sheer volume of events/disasters/rescues etc., and the lack of sleep that I could function with!

        I have recently recommended books to several persons by author Deborah Harkness: All Souls Trilogy (A Discovery of Witches, and Shadow of Night [the third is due to be published this summer]) and I think that those same persons might also enjoy Diana Gabaldon’s series of books. So if you have a “To Read” list put this series on it – or if you are feeling up to the challenge pick up a copy of the first book today. The library does have regular book, audiobook, and ebook copies of this story.

Review by Diana McCarthy, community librarian for Falkland Branch