Adult/High School—In this novel, Benjamin examines the life of Alice Liddell Hargreaves, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice. As she explains, Alice and her sisters are the "princesses" of Oxford and are expected to act in a manner befitting nobility. At the age of seven, Alice Liddell develops a close, intimate relationship with Charles Dodgson, an instructor at Oxford, who will go on to publish as Lewis Carroll. She serves as his muse until the age of 11, when one summer day an inappropriate encounter is witnessed by her sister. Alice's relationship with Dodgson and the rumors that follow her will cast a shadow over the rest of her life, costing her a relationship with Prince Leopold and the chance to become a real princess. Benjamin has researched the facts of Alice's and Dodgson's lives and filled in blanks, including what really happened between Alice and Dodgson to cause an irreparable rift between them. The author weaves these facts and her additions into an engaging and moving story of childhood obsession, adolescent dreams, and the realities of adult life. Alice's feelings about being the real-life version of a childhood literary icon are explored in an in-depth manner both from the perspective of her teen years and during her life as a wife and mother. This is a beautiful story for readers interested in the fictionalized life of a literary inspiration.—Laura Amos, Newport News Public Library, VA

Adult/High School—Fawad, an 11-year-old Muslim Afghan boy, was born under the shadow of the Taliban, according to his mother, but he remains an optimist despite the lingering tragedy in his life. He and his mother are struggling to survive after his father and brother are killed and his sister is abducted by the Taliban. Their lives change dramatically when Fawad's mother is hired to work in a house with three Westerners in an affluent suburb of Kabul. Streetwise Fawad no longer has to beg and steal with his friends and grows more responsible and mature after accepting an after-school job in a shop with a wisecracking blind man he befriends. Fawad's observations and concerns about his new experiences living with English-speaking, godless foreigners are told with humor and heartbreak. One of his primary concerns is the poignant love story involving his beloved British landlady and wealthy, yet dangerous Afghan Haji Khan. Busfield tells this story through the eyes of a child, reflecting the optimism and humanity of the resilient people she encountered while she lived in Kabul, a refreshing viewpoint not conveyed in other contemporary novels about Afghanistan.—Melanie Parsons, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School—This sequel to The Silver Ship and the Sea (Tor, 2007) stars an intergalactic Helen of Troy of sorts: Chelo, who just wants peace but is told, "Truth doesn't have anything to do with rumor. Myth often places beautiful women in the middle of war. You're going down in history as the woman who started this war." In a universe where humans have been genetically engineered for various functions and exist with varying degrees of rights, beings of all of the Five Worlds still hope, fight, love, and dream of flying like the Fliers of Lopali. Lopali is the planet where Chelo, her brother who has rescued her from the planet Fremont, and the rest of their small band take refuge from an impending war. But the age-old questions remain: At what price does neutrality in the name of peace become another type of warfare? What is justice, and what is it worth? What sacrifices are you willing to make to be your true self? More like a teenager learning to drive a stick shift than a space ship at warp speed, Wings creeps along in great detail only to lurch through time and space, slowing again to check if everyone's still along for the ride. Though there are a few too many detours, like any journey, getting there is half the fun. Science-fiction fans will enjoy drawing parallels between futuristic technologies and their earthly inspirations.—Kate Dunlop Seamans, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH

Adult/High School—This extraordinary compilation can be read as a coherent, unified text. Mainly composed of slow-burning tales with a deep sense of historical/political setting, the collection focuses on the horror to be found in the mundane facts of life, particularly family life: relatives who have died, broken homes, families struggling to hold together. The stories also challenge the traditional connection between horror and the supernatural. Many of them, such as Margo Lanagan's chilling "The Goosle," have no elements of the supernatural at all, and those that do, such as Steve Duffy's exquisite, heartbreaking "The Clay Party," often feature neutral or actively positive interactions with the Beyond. Instead, in almost every story, the horror comes directly from the evil or misguided intentions of humans. Inevitably, the pieces vary in quality, and one might have preferred a more critical introduction from Datlow, but this collection is not to be missed.—Mark Flowers, John F. Kennedy Library, Vallejo, CA

Adult/High School—Kurland has found 10 competent contributors of 10 worthy additions to the growing sum of stories set in the world of Sherlock Holmes. The selections are all true to character and era, at the same time adding new Holmes adventures, exploits, and successes as an innovator of detective techniques. While Conan Doyle made several references to America and Americans in his tales of Holmes's life and work, he did not explore any adventures the detective might have had on this side of the Atlantic. This gap in the saga is filled admirably. Readers find Holmes in East Coast cities, in Middle American towns, and on the wild frontier of the West. He meets and confronts people from all walks of life, including many of lasting fame—Mark Twain, Edwin Booth, P. T. Barnum, and Robert Louis Stevenson—as well as bandits, schemers, and murderers of high and low breeding. The plot devices, dialogue, and character development are uniformly first-rate. Without question, Kurland has achieved his goal: to entertain in the well-established tradition of the Holmes canon.—Robert Saunderson, formerly at Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School—Mathilda speaks directly to readers in a stream-of-conscious narrative fraught with grief and guilt as she attempts to come to terms with the reality of her sister's death. While her mother drinks away her grief and her father sinks into depression, Mathilda acts out with irresponsible, risky behavior that is hurtful and incomprehensible to her grieving parents. An unreliable narrator, she is certain her beautiful older sister was pushed in front of a train, and she sets about finding the man responsible. While snooping in Helene's room, she recovers emails from the 16-year-old's lover and decides to confront him. Louis, a man much older than her sister, is not the sinister murderer Mathilda expects but a sad veteran broken in spirit and body. Finally accepting the truth, Mathilda responds with a magnanimous lie to shield him from the painful reality of his pregnant lover's suicide. The author captures the protagonist's anguished adolescent voice perfectly: her wild imagination and humorous observations; her palpable fears, particularly of attacks from terrorists; and her lonely grief for the sister she worshipped with ambivalent passion.—Jackie Gropman, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library System, Fairfax, VA

Adult/High School—When she was only 10, Lulu watched her father kill her mother and critically injure her sister. Her overwhelming guilt at letting her father into the apartment that day, despite her mother's warning not to, drives her to protect her sister fiercely for years to come. The girls first stay with their mother's sister, but are soon sent to a home. Though conditions are deplorable, Lulu is determined to make a better life for Merry and is able to manipulate Mrs. Cohen, one of the teachers, into taking both of them into her family as foster children. Even though the sisters are taken care of physically, they aren't loved like the grown children in the family, and Mrs. Cohen's death brings an end to any feelings of belonging they once had. Throughout it all, Merry visits her father in prison, but Lulu refuses any contact and in fact covers up his existence. As the girls grow up and graduate from college, they stay close physically and emotionally. Only Lulu's husband knows the truth about his father-in-law; even their children are unaware. But as his release date grows near, tensions rise and the truth finds its way out. Meyers's strength is in her descriptions of the heartbreak of the sisters' situation as children and their continued struggles as adults, as well as the clarity and individuality of their voices.—Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ

Adult/High School—Readers who know their ancient history are aware that both Cleopatra and Marc Anthony committed suicide when they realized that they had lost the Egyptian empire to Octavian of Rome. In one evening, 10-year-old twins Selene and Alexander lost their parents and their two older siblings, and became Octavian's prisoners. This is a fictionalized account of what happens to them after they are taken in chains by ship to Rome. Moran has done a terrific job of placing readers in the center of life in ancient Rome, letting them see the world of both the privileged and the enslaved. Her historical accuracy and detailed descriptions allow readers to experience the children's fate along with them. The additional bonus to this story is the grown twins' love interests and the political intrigue, woven throughout, that will impact them. For those who think that ancient history is dull, this is a great way to explore the world of the ancients and to connect through the lives of teenagers who, even though they lived thousands of years ago, have the same desires and interests of today's youth.—Janet Melikian, Central High School East, Fresno, CA

Adult/High School—A 15-year-old boy longs for love and acceptance; the mother who gave him up for adoption yearns to correct their rift; another young man goes along with a friend to prevent violence; a policeman works extra jobs to earn money for his dying wife's care. How each works toward the desired end brings about bloodshed, violent death, a failure to be true to badge and honor, and felonious theft and kidnapping. The narrative's many strands unfold in cleverly interlocking passages, most of which take up in midsentence, but the puzzle is easy enough to follow or put aside until its pattern becomes clear. Teens who like gritty characters, adrenaline-pumping action, and good writing will find this the perfect brew. The strands do come together in a single rope: destiny can't be outrun or outgunned.—Francisca Goldsmith, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia

Adult/High School—Set in Portland, OR, in the early 20th century, this fast-paced, well-plotted mystery centers on the social, economic, and political imbalances of the robber baron era, with particular emphasis on the harsh inequities of the timber industry. Sage Adair, a secret agent for the fledgling labor movement, leads a double life. As owner of an upscale restaurant, he rubs shoulders with the wealthy and powerful. But Adair feels more at home in his role as John Miner, a poor but resourceful laborer, finding himself, as the need arises, in logging camps, hobo camps, and riding the rails. His job is to uncover and reveal injustice and corruption. He finds plenty, including the slaying of a notorious railroad bull, a thug hired to rid the rails of hobos and to perform dirty work for the owners. Although the bull had many enemies, the police focus their attention on a teen who Adair knows is innocent. His relentless and dangerous pursuit of the truth unravels a complex web of corruption involving some of the city's most respected citizens. The author incorporates many historical details to create a realistic account of an episode in the class war that raged in America during the years of rapid industrialization. This engrossing tale is the first in what promises to be a worthy series.—Robert Saunderson, formerly at Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School—Amberlyn explores traditional pen-and-ink techniques and describes how to create images with computer software. The first part of the volume is devoted to the basic elements of drawing characters, including the anatomical proportions necessary for realistic creatures and ways to manipulate proportions to devise a variety of images. How to convey expression and movement are among other topics discussed. The second section highlights various creatures important to Japanese culture and legend. Each animal, whether mythical or real, is accompanied by its Japanese and English name, and other information. Animals are often shown in more than one drawing style. Computer techniques are the subject of the final portion of the book. Detailed instructions are given for completing a manga page, beginning with the scanning process. Although specific software packages are used in the examples, basic techniques can be translated to other computer applications. This is a solid addition to manga-instruction collections.—Lara McAllister, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia

Adult/High School—These poems are a testament to the profound resilience of the human spirit. The selections come from a wide array of nations and voices. Some were written originally in English, others in Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, Tagalog, Hebrew, Tigrinya, and other languages. All are from the 20th century and are presented here in English. Every one of these poems comes from a place of great pain, of nearly unimaginable suffering, and all offer stubborn rays of hope. The themes range from the ravages of war and genocide to political and gender persecution, from famine to censorship, from child labor to neglect of the elderly. Some of the poets are among the leading voices of the century: Anna Akhmatova, Margaret Atwood, Paul Celan, Pablo Neruda, Adrienne Rich, Wislawa Szymborska. Others have emerging reputations or were known only in their homelands. In vivid and precise images, these poems speak to readers of all ages and backgrounds of the fire in the soul that allows us to carry on when one more step may seem impossible.—Robert Saunderson, formerly at Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School— Gourmet called Hardwick, VT, "one of the most important food towns in America." Like many communities, it has struggled and at times failed to maintain a viable economy that supports its citizens. Over the last few years, new food-based businesses, such as High Mowing Organic Seeds and Vermont Soy, have emerged at the hands of forward-thinking agripreneurs. Complete with historical details, compelling characters, and competing viewpoints, this book is a highly readable account of the creation of a new agricultural business model. Hewitt does not shy away from discussing the skepticism from long-established farmers or revealing that the benefits of this new food-based economy are not accessible to all of Hardwick's residents. Environmental science and sociology teachers will find a wealth of discussable topics ranging from what defines sustainable agriculture to the dynamics of community involvement. The literary tone and humor make this book more accessible and entertaining than some of the seminal works by Bill McKibben and Michael Pollan. Recommend this title to students with little or no background on this topic or to those who have read similar works and are looking for the next addition to the conversation.—Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD

Adult/High School—Readers of this amazing story cannot help but be inspired and energized by the idealism, hope, and bravery of the young people who put their lives on the line and on hold to challenge the Jim Crow laws of the South. Lewis chronicles their struggles as they began spontaneous sit-ins in response to the horrifying murder of Emmett Till in 1955 and the South's blatant disregard of the Supreme Court's ruling on segregated schools. The NAACP had worked hard and successfully for Brown v. Board of Education, but it took the forming of SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) in 1960 with its more radical agenda, its freedom rides and marches, and the coordination and insistence of black voter registration drives to bring Southern racism to the attention of the media and the rest of the nation. The growth of the movement and the maturing of the individuals involved makes for riveting reading. Martin Luther King, Jr., John Lewis, Julian Bond, and Stokely Carmichael are recognizable names to many, but less is known about the work and courage of Etta Baker, Diane Nash, James Bevel, Bob Zellner, and other young men and women, mostly black. They all believed passionately in the cause of civil rights and the importance of grassroots participation but were not always of one mind about how to achieve their goals. Personality clashes and disagreements over strategy are examined in detail and described with sympathy and objectivity. The use of interviews and extensive research provides an immediate and lively narrative that immerses readers in the times.—Jackie Gropman, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library System, Fairfax, VA

Adult/High School—Pellegrino's masterful retelling of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki through the eyes of Japanese survivors and U.S. military personnel, using the science of forensic archaeology, is a riveting and detailed account of the atomic blasts and their aftermath. The intimate personal narratives, including those from survivors of both nuclear bombings and those who were near the bombs' hypocenter in shock cocoons while everything outside their protective "bubbles" was decimated, form a powerful yet horrific account of the massive devastation of Japanese civilians. What these survivors saw and experienced will form an indelible impression on readers. Many of the stories from these survivors as well as American journalists who visited ground zero were censored or criticized for lacking authenticity, based on the regulations and findings by General Douglas MacArthur's September 11 Committee of 1945. The committee did not want the public to know how pervasive and long-term the effects of nuclear radiation were on civilian populations. With this volume, Pellegrino has brought all of this important information to light and makes a clear and compelling case for never using nuclear weapons again.—Melanie Parsons, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School—Stuart looks at the amount of food countries currently waste, why it is happening, and how the world can reduce it. Although many of the author's examples and statistics come from the UK and Europe, he does try to bring in a global perspective whenever possible. He supplements the facts with his personal experiences as a "freegan" in the UK. The first section begins with the author's path to writing Waste before focusing on the consumer side of the problem, looking at how supermarkets and restaurants dispose of their waste, and how individuals buy more than they need and end up throwing away a large portion of it. The second section examines how produce, fish, and meat are wasted before they even reach supermarkets and restaurants. The third part looks at ways that we can reduce waste by providing examples of good practices in smaller countries and tips for improvement at all levels. The book contains a plethora of supporting material. It is well written and would appeal to anyone who has enjoyed the movie Food Inc. and Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma (Penguin, 2007), and who is interested in looking at the other end of our food problem.—Kelliann Bogan, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH