Chaired by Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–Rosélie Thibaudin's husband, Stephen, was murdered in Cape Town, South Africa, just after midnight, by an unknown assailant. The motive is as mysterious as why a white man such as he would venture out so late into the night. In the months following his death, Rosélie discovers that she did not know her husband very well. She also realizes that she does not know herself that well either. This story is as much about Rosélie discovering who she is as it is about finding out who her husband was and why he was killed. The language is rich and dense, as is the portrait Condé paints of postapartheid South Africa. Rosélie wanders this landscape in a daze of memories and revelations, trying to find her place in a world left suddenly without focus. She was married to Stephen for 20 years, and suddenly she finds that their time together was either a sham or something else that only he could explain. This is a book for advanced teen readers who are interested in modern literature outside the American vernacular and experience. It depicts complicated relationships between adults and offers a glimpse of a country in a state of social and racial revolution.–Will Marston, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–This third novel that focuses on Uhtred is filled with plenty of action, betrayal, and bloodshed, along with a healthy dose of religion and superstition, as Saxons, Christians, and Scots battle for the ground that will become Great Britain. Set amid actual historical events and people, the story picks up where The Pale Horseman (HarperCollins, 2006) left off and is told by Uhtred; his tone is straightforward in a manly, congenial way. Going from an honored warrior of King Alfred to a slave and back, he is tested again and again as he fights not only for the king, but also for the woman he wants. The knowledge that his fate is set by the gods is a constant reminder that, although he is a mighty warrior, he is, in the end, only a man subject to their whims. A blood feud has charted his course, and his outlook on life is only to make a good accounting of himself before he takes up his rightful place in the corpse-hall. Although it may be difficult for newcomers to the series to grasp the characters' tangled relationships, historical fiction lovers and those who want a good old-fashioned action tale should enjoy this book.–Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI

Adult/High School–“What if people didn't have to die…? For an individual…that would make him master of all other men. For armies, it would mean indestructibility.” Dietrich takes an actual event, Napoleon's 1798 invasion of Egypt; creates an amiable protagonist in the person of American gambler/adventurer Ethan Gage; hatches a plot focused on the enduring mystery of the Egyptian pyramids; and scores with a kinetic tale that expertly combines entertainment with intelligence. Augmenting his poor pay with his luck at cards, Gage acquires an ancient gold medallion one Parisian evening. Intrigued by its indecipherable etchings, perforations, and “two long arms,” and suspicious of the interest expressed by Count Silano, a French-Italian aristocrat rumored to participate in the black arts, Gage keeps the artifact. This act unwittingly sets him on a perilous quest from Paris to the Egyptian desert, encountering Gypsies, Freemasons, spies, assassins, Bonaparte, land and sea battles, treachery, and love along the way. The final climactic scene within the Grand Pyramid of Giza is not to be missed, and the ending promises that Gage's adventures will continue. The Da Vinci Code comparisons may seem automatic, but similarities go only as far as seeking the solution to a historical puzzle. Dietrich's work is more cerebral while sacrificing neither suspense nor action; think Indiana Jones meets the Discovery Channel. Fans of historical fiction, action adventure, and thrillers will clamor for this one.–Dori DeSpain, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School–This alternate history with multiple threads blends bebop, physics, molecular biology, politics, and ethics into a compelling story of one family's journey through the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. Sam Dance is a soldier who, in early December 1941, has been sent by the army to study physics and other esoteric subjects in Washington, DC. One of his teachers, an Eastern European woman, seduces him and gives him a device–and the plans for it–that she says will change the course of world history. The next day, Pearl Harbor is attacked, and Sam spends the rest of the war trying to figure out what the object exactly does, and what his role is. This novel is full of thought-provoking ideas about people and conflict. Can people be changed at the molecular level to cause them to prevent war? Can societies thrive and prosper without war? What are the connections between music, especially jazz, and physics? Readers with some knowledge of World War II and of the postwar period will probably get the most out of this book, and they will enjoy seeing where events in the novel diverge from what really happened. But any reader who likes alternate histories; strong, appealing characters; and provocative ideas will find plenty to admire in Goonan's book.–Sarah Flowers, Santa Clara County Library, CA

Adult/High School–“Think of a jigsaw puzzle,” Ariella Montero writes in her journal. “Even when it isn't assembled, the pieces scattered in the box contain the picture.” Ariella is 13 and very sheltered. She is homeschooled by her father, a scientist, and lives in a large Victorian house. Ariella wants to know all about her mother, who disappeared when the girl was born, and about the world and where she fits into it. Through Mrs. McGarrit, the housekeeper, she meets other teens and starts questioning her own lifestyle. Going to the library with Mrs. McGarrit's daughter, Ariella finds the Internet, and the answers to her questions lead her into danger. It seems that the Monteros are vampires. At least Mr. Montero is, and now it is more important than ever to Ariella to find her mother. How she solves the mystery of her family's unhappiness, as well as how to cope with her own feelings and problems, form the plot. This is a solid story of a girl coming of age, wanting her family to be together, and wishing to belong to something. The author doesn't use supernatural elements as a crutch, but instead they enhance an already strong narrative.–Dana Cobern-Kullman, Luther Burbank Middle School, Burbank, CA

Adult/High School–Ted LeClare, a New England ninth grader, is showing off his father's guns when he hands one to visiting brothers. While he is in another room, one accidentally shoots and kills the other. Ted's terrified mother tells him not to tell the authorities that he loaded the gun. When Ted, who is referred to as “the boy” throughout the novel, returns to school after this violent incident, he is rejected by most classmates but is befriended by a group who call themselves American Youth. Their interests lie in vandalizing houses in the new subdivisions that are taking over the countryside. The Youth embrace gun rights, vigilante acts, and their own brand of religion that helps them rationalize their activities. As Ted begins to see the Youth for what they really are, he finally tells the truth about loading the gun and begins to feel release from his own guilt and pain. This novel is a harrowing but unsentimental look at Ted's world–an impersonal place of encroaching subdivisions and pressures to fit in, and where young people are caught between absurd double standards. The account is honest and perceptive, and readers will find themselves hoping that Ted will rise up through his anger and sadness as he wrestles with his personal dilemma of whether or not to tell the truth at great cost to himself and his family.–Susanne Bardelson, Kitsap Regional Library, WA

Adult/High School–After fleeing a car accident, a middle-aged woman with no ID is questioned by both the police and hospital administration. Refusing to reveal her identity (and proof of health insurance), she instead hints that she is the younger of two sisters, Heather and Sunny Bethany, who disappeared the day before Easter in 1975. This gets everyone's attention. She knows both too much and not enough about the case, leading Baltimore police on wild goose chases to Pennsylvania and Georgia, saying just enough to stay out of jail and keep them interested, albeit suspicious. The narrative threads unravel into the various accounts of that Saturday's events, the aftermath of the disappearance, the investigation, and Heather's own increasingly desperate attempts to evade further disclosure. This novel is a page-turner. Tantalizing revelations are dropped at chapter ends before veering into another part of the narrative, back and forth in time. Characters are well defined and varied, each with a different perspective on the nature of grief. Ultimately, after all of the half-truths and deceptions are played out, unexpected but moving forgiveness wins out.–Jenny Gasset, Orange County Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–Mr. Thundermug is a baboon–a baboon with the ability to convey his thoughts and feelings in flawless English. His quiet arrival, with his nonspeaking wife and children, in an unnamed Anglo-Asian city is at first unnoticed. Soon, however, the human inhabitants become aware of his presence and his implicit challenge to their beliefs about what is human and what is animal. Mr. Thundermug's social and legal problems slowly mount until he is arrested and brought to trial, where he pleads to be judged not as a human, or as an animal, but as an individual. The author writes in a detached, quasi-scientific style that underlines the inevitability of his hero's fate, while the black-and-white, slightly blurry lithographs that illustrate the story underscore Mr. Thundermug's anomalous status. Teens will appreciate the protagonist's desire to be treated as an individual and sympathize with his efforts to fit into a society whose conventions seem designed to exclude him. The provocative questions raised in this book make it a good choice for book discussion groups.–Sandy Schmitz, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–Most of the individuals included here made positive contributions to the nation's development: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., but others are known for their negative impact: Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Leon Czolgosz. Axelrod highlights the famous and infamous in government, business, sports, entertainment, literature, art, and science. The entries are indeed brief, with Robert E. Lee getting as much space as anyone at three quarters of a page, or a little more than 200 words; many people receive only one or two sentences. The value of the collection is threefold. Students who are looking for subjects for term papers can skim quickly through the pages and find a wide variety of possibilities. Second, the book serves as a handy reference source to check the key facts on many Americans. And third, it is fun to browse. This title is not a necessary choice for any library, but it's a good one for those lacking compact sources on notable Americans.–Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–This craft book is a model of helpful organization–clear directions supplemented by large and clarifying photographs, useful explanations of both techniques and supplies, and attractive projects. Providing instruction on how to sew patchwork, quilt, and embroider using hand techniques and sewing machines, the chapters are brief and focused on specific aspects of the work: preparing fabric, using such tools as scissors and needles, selecting and using batting, creating or copying paper patterns and templates, and making additional designs with embroidered stitches, ribbons and lace, and beadwork. A true beginner could move beyond inspiration to attempting a “real” project–a potholder is the smallest one detailed–while those teens who have confidence in their sewing will be inspired to follow the directions for making handbags, photo-album covers, and maybe even a full-size quilt. Crafty teens, and those wondering if they might be able to turn their hands to creating something substantial, will be well served by this volume.–Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–The Pulitzer Prize and other annual award winners for editorial cartoons open this collection of 425 images. Despite the cover art depicting History reminding us not to repeat the events of September 11, 2001, the cartoons are a visual year in review from 2006 publications. Provocative and challenging, they are laid out in thematic groups and reflect a balance of political views. Topics include presidential politics, elections, global warming, and bird flu. Both national and international issues are covered. A brief context for each theme is presented; however, the editor does not provide analysis or interpretation of individual entries. A list of past award recipients is included. This collection has great potential to enrich government or current-events curricula, but as an annual, it may not be practical for smaller collections.–Meg Canada, Hennepin County Library, MN

Adult/High School–These 36 brief essays document issues that can affect all young people–friendship, death, anorexia, divorce, sexuality–but also comment on the writers' adjustments to a new society or expectations that might limit their hopes and dreams. In one piece, a young woman shares the story of her family's frustrating Thanksgiving Day excursion to find an open restaurant, not understanding this holiday in their new country. Another writer expresses her dismay when her father refuses to let her go to another city to attend college, unless her mother moves in with her. A third recalls a harrowing trip over the border to a féria, the Mexican version of a carnival, when a ride stops in midair and she sees the look of fear on the face of the macho cousin she admires so much. The essayists, many still in college, represent diverse backgrounds–Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Salvadoran. For young adults of all backgrounds, this collection illuminates both the familiar coming-of-age experiences that transcend cultural differences and the moments that are unique to young Latinos in the States.–Pat Bangs, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School–In most of the country, wrestling is a dying sport. However, in Iowa, thousands still turn out for the State Championships and the sport captures attention, particularly when a chance at greatness presents itself. In 2005, two young men had the opportunity to become only the 15th and 16th wrestlers to be four-time champions in the long history of the state tournament. Jay Borschel and Dan LeClere had known one another since childhood, and as seniors in high school faced similar pressures and roadblocks to establishing their legacies. Kreidler introduces readers to their world, if not their hearts and minds. Wrestling, a sport of deprivation that thrives on an ethos of pain, is a difficult form of athletic prowess to understand, and at times LeClere and Borschel are the embodiment of the difficulty of understanding the passion and commitment that it demands. They are enigmas. But the world of Iowa wrestling and the communities that embrace it are painted both in their glory and in the head-shaking dismay that the sport can induce. Teen wrestlers will appreciate a book that speaks to them and respectfully about them, and sports fans may find a new area to appreciate.–Mary Ann Harlan, Eureka High School, CA

Adult/High School–Many kids with physical, mental, and learning disabilities have ridden the “short bus” to special-education classes, signaling that they were different, singled out, not “normal.” Mooney was one of those short bus children who hated school because he was dyslexic and couldn't read until he was 12. In 2003, a few years after he graduated from Brown University, he cowrote a book on learning disabilities and began a career of public speaking on the subject. Then he set out on a journey. He bought an old short bus and traveled from Los Angeles to Maine to Washington and back to L.A., stopping to visit with various people who were also not “normal.” Along the way, he confronted his own preconceptions and assumptions about people with autism, Down syndrome, deafness and blindness, ADHD, and other so-called disabilities. In this book, he deals with the question of “What is normal?” This is a story about a young man coming to accept himself, but also a cautionary tale about what happens in schools, in the workplace, and in society when people fail to recognize that everyone is normal, just in different ways. Mooney is an engaging writer with a sense of humor about his own failings, and his story is an entertaining and enlightening one.–Sarah Flowers, Santa Clara County Library, CA

Adult/High School–In 2002, just months after the Taliban had been driven out of Afghanistan, Rodriguez, a hairdresser from Holland, MI, joined a small nongovernmental aid organization on a mission to the war-torn nation. That visit changed her life. In Kabul, she chronicles her efforts to help establish the country's first modern beauty school and training salon; along with music and kite-flying, hairdressing had been banned under the previous regime. This memoir offers a glimpse into a world Westerners seldom see–life behind the veil. Rodriguez was entranced with the delightful personalities that emerged when her students removed their burqas behind closed doors, but her book is also a tale of empowerment–both for her and the women. In a city with no mail service, she went door-to-door to recruit students from clandestine beauty shops, and there were constant efforts to shut her down. She had to convince Afghan men to work side by side with her to unpack cartons of supplies donated from the U.S. The students, however, are the heroines of this memoir. Women denied education and seldom allowed to leave their homes found they were able to support themselves and their families. Rodriguez's experiences will delight readers as she recounts such tales as two friends acting as “parents” and negotiating a dowry for her marriage to an Afghan man or her students puzzling over a donation of a carton of thongs. Most of all, they will share her admiration for Afghan women's survival and triumph in chaotic times.–Pat Bangs, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School–On the cusp of the civil rights era, in 1964, Rutland's memoir was published in a limited edition as The Trouble with Being Mama. This reissue has a new introduction. Mama, as Rutland is known, reflects on her daily deeds, accomplishments, and misgivings about raising her four children while residing in an integrated California suburb and sending them to integrated public schools. This African-American, middle-class family strove to maintain social, economic, and educational equality within a multicultural environment. Mostly, they succeeded. There are no fire hoses or church bombings in this down-home, kitchen-table memoir. The color line manifested itself in more subtle ways: in difficulty purchasing real estate, or when the children maintained the required grades but were not placed in “exceptional” classes. Rutland's self-effacing manner, and the strictly adhered to and enforced gender roles, may seem as striking to today's more self-actualized and empowered young adults as will the clarity with which the author shows the depth of racism without criminal incident.–Jodi Mitchell, Durham County Library, NC

Adult/High School–Thomas says that creating the TV show Veronica Mars saved both his career as a screenwriter and his soul. He had all but given up on the possibility of actually selling a “teen detective” story to the networks when WB bought it. This collection of essays has a mix of writing styles. From why Veronica lies to why audiences love her on-again, off-again relationship with her boyfriend, each selection serves to enhance both Thomas's thoughts on what makes good TV and to provide literary analysis. Yes, pop culture TV can be analyzed, and very well. Pair this with the DVDs of seasons one and two of the series and you won't need a detective to figure out where the materials are. They'll be checked out.–Mary George, Placer County Library, Auburn, CA

Adult/High School–Vogt's devotion to his daughters led him to write this guide to self-defense for females, be they children or the elderly. The scope includes more than physical harm. Subjects include identity theft and psychological abuse. The martial-arts section on self-defense in the case of an attack may be the draw, but readers will learn how to avoid potentially dangerous situations in the first place. The valuable information is well presented with photographs that show relevant maneuvers.–Joy Murphy, Oakland Public Library, CA