Braille Books Acquired Fall 2024

Welcome

Welcome to Braille Books Acquired. This quarterly newsletter contains a list of Braille books recently acquired by the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA). Previous issues are available at celalibrary.ca/braille-books-acquired.

In this issue:

Announcements

Award Winners

Congratulations to these recent award winners whose books are available in braille in our collection:

Lisa Brideau, whose book Adrift is the winner of this year's Evergreen Award program.

Congratulations to Jenny Erpenbeck who won the International Booker prize for Kairos, and Han Kang who recently won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Kang’s book Greek Lessons: A Novel is available in braille in our collection.

And lastly, Canada has an incredible collection of children's authors and illustrators. They were recently celebrated by the Canadian Children's Book Centre and we are delighted to have the winners in our collection. Books available in braille include:

More information about award nominees is available on our Awards page.

Possibility of a Canada Post Service Disruption

At the time of writing, there is a possibility of a service disruption at Canada Post. If that happens, CELA’s digital services will be unaffected.

If there is a full strike or lockout, CELA services will be suspended for users who receive physical materials, such as embossed braille, CDs or printbraille, and will resume when the service disruption is resolved.

If there is a rotating strike, CELA will monitor the situation for the first week to see if it is useful to send materials through the mail. 

For those who receive physical materials we recommend:

  1. Using digital services if that is available to you. Digital services are available using the Envoy Connect or other Wi-Fi enabled audiobook players such as a DAISY player, a phone or a tablet.
  2. Raching out to your local library to see if they can offer assistance. They may have a DAISY CD deposit collection from CELA, preloaded audiobook players for loan, or they may be able to download books onto a CD player or a USB thumb drive. Please note that library resources for these services will vary.
  3. Asking a friend or family member to act as a designate, which will allow them to download materials from the user’s CELA account and place them on the user’s device.

Should a strike happen, more information will be available on our website and blog. We know how important your books are, and we are so sorry this strike may affect you.

Upcoming Holiday closures for the CELA Contact Centre.

Our Contact Centre will be closed on November 11 for Remembrance Day.

For the holiday season, our Contact Centre will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on December 24. It will be closed on December 25, 26 and January 1 for the holidays. On December 27, 30, and 31, our Contact Centre will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. We will return to normal opening hours on January 2, 2025.

A note about dates

Although the majority of these books have been published within the last 5 years, there may be some books listed here which are older, but which were only recently added to our collection. To make this clearer for you, we include the date of the print version of each book at the end of its annotation.

Uncontracted braille

Friendship stories

4392493 February friend (Calendar Mysteries #2) by Ron Roy and John Steven Gurney.

When a rabbit is discovered in a closet during a Valentine's Day celebration at school, first-graders Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy search for the owner. Sequel to January Joker (DB 78752). For grades 2-4. 2009.

Historical fiction

6178248 Hurricane heroes in Texas: Magic tree house, book 30 by Mary Pope Osborne.

Jack and Annie travel in the magic tree house to Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900--the day of a devastating natural disaster. For grades 2-4. 2018.

Holiday fiction

6178238 Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year parade, book 2 by Lyla Lee.

Mindy Kim is excited to go to the Lunar New Year parade with her father and her best friend, Sally. She decides to make traditional Korean New Year food, a rice-cake soup that's her favorite, but things don't go as planned. For grades K-3. 2020.

School stories

6178210 Mindy Kim and the yummy seaweed business, book 1 by Lyla Lee.

Seven-year-old Mindy Kim desperately wants a puppy and to fit in at her new Florida school. But when her favorite snack of dried seaweed initially leads to ridicule and then a thriving business, Mindy Kim believes she has found her path to owning a pet. For grades K-3. 2020.

Computers and internet

6178374 Mrs. Roopy is loopy!: my weird school (My Weird School Ser. #3) by Dan Gutman.

A. J. and his classmates become convinced that the new school librarian, Mrs. Roopy, has Multiple Personality Disorder after she pretends to be a number of different famous people. For grades 2-4. 2004.

Fiction printbraille

Canadian fiction

6142045 The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillion.

Inspired by the childhood of real-life astronaut Chris Hadfield and brought to life by Terry and Eric Fan's lush, evocative illustrations, The Darkest Dark will encourage readers to dream the impossible. Chris loves rockets and planets and pretending he's a brave astronaut, exploring the universe. Only one problem--at night, Chris doesn't feel so brave. He's afraid of the dark. But when he watches the groundbreaking moon landing on TV, he realizes that space is the darkest dark there is--and the dark is beautiful and exciting, especially when you have big dreams to keep you company. For Pre-K to grade 8. 2016.

Family stories

6190056 Do You Remember? by Sydney Smith.

From the creator of Small in the City and the illustrator of Town Is by the Sea and Sidewalk Flowers, comes a moving look at how memories are made. For Pre-K to grade 2. 2023.

Friendship stories

6190058 Butterfly on the Wind by Adam Pottle.

A magical picture book about a Deaf girl who creates a butterfly with Sign Language and sends it on a journey around the world. On the day of the talent show, Aurora's hands tremble. No matter how hard she tries to sign, her fingers stumble over one another and the words just won't come. But as she’s about to give up, she spots a butterfly. Using her hands to sign the ASL word for "butterfly," Aurora sends a magical butterfly of her own into the world, inspiring Deaf people across the globe to add their own. For Pre-K to grade 2. 2024.

Indigenous peoples in Canada fiction

6142046 Métis Like Me by Tasha Hilderman.

Whether or not you're Métis, there's so much to experience and learn about this amazing Indigenous culture — take a picture book journey into Métis crafts, music and cooking with friends who love to share. A group of children of Métis descent share and explore all the ways they celebrate and experience their heritage — enjoying traditional foods like bannock bread and Saskatoon berries; crafting with beads; sharing stories, dance, music and songs. For Pre-K to grade 2. 2024.

Multi-cultural fiction

6190057 Oma's Bag by Michelle Wang and Sam Nunez.

A gentle and loving book that helps children navigate an Alzheimer's diagnosis in their family The five Lim children - Jessica, Jocelyn, Jeffrey, Jacob, and Kenzie - are thrilled when their parents tell them that Oma and Opa, their beloved grandparents, are coming to town for a visit. But this time, things seem different - grandmother Oma's cooking doesn't taste the same, and she's started asking the same questions over and over, even while talking about specific moments from her past. Accompanied by joyful illustrations, Oma's Bag is a tender and touching book to help children navigate an Alzheimer's diagnosis in their family and learn how to fully embrace their loved ones in new and unexpected ways. Ages 3 to 8. 2024.

Non-fiction printbraille

General non-fiction

6116037 Still My Tessa by Sylv Chiang.

A gently affirming story of the connection between siblings. Evelyn is worried about Tessa. Tessa doesn’t want to play the same games they used to play together, but Evelyn is determined to find new ways to connect with her older sibling. And she is also learning to see Tessa as non-binary and using new pronouns for them. Evelyn learns quickly that it isn't hard and helps others see that too. Through the course of this heartfelt story, Evelyn reaffirms her connection to her sibling and shows those around them how to make the effort to support Tessa with love. Back matter includes information on gender and ways to be a kind and effective ally. For Pre-K to grade 4. 2024.

Parenting

6116036 Circle of Love by Monique Gray Smith.

In this warmhearted book, we join Molly at the Intertribal Community Center, where she introduces us to people she knows and loves: her grandmother and her grandmother’s wife, her uncles and their baby, her cousins, and her treasured friends. They dance, sing, garden, learn, pray, and eat together. And tonight, they come together for a feast! Through tender prose and radiant artwork, author Monique Gray Smith (Cree/Lakota) and illustrator Nicole Neidhardt (Diné) show how there is always room for others in our lives. Circle of Love is a story celebrating family, friends, community, and, most of all, love. For Pre-K to grade 4. 2024.

Social issues

6190059 When I Wrap My Hair by Shauntay Grant.

In the vein of I Am Enough and Hold Them Close, this inspiring and beautiful picture book celebrates how hair wrapping ties together past and present. When I wrap, my roots run deep. As deep as an African marketplace or a city sidewalk or the stories between them. With lyrical text by acclaimed author Shauntay Grant and vibrant illustrations by Jenin Mohammed, When I Wrap My Hair is both an act of joyful recognition and a demonstration of how knowledge is passed through generations. For Pre-K to grade 4. 2024.

Fiction for children and young adults

Adventure stories

4226152 The blood of Olympus: the Heroes of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan.

The Greek and Roman demigods must simultaneously prevent the Earth Mother, Gaea, from waking and stop war from breaking out at Camp Half-Blood. However, one of the seven demigods must die in order to defeat Gaea. For grades 4-7. 2014.

Family stories

4379124 Jessica Darling's It List 2: the (totally not) guaranteed guide to friends, foes & faux friends: a novel (Jessica Darling's It List #2) by Megan McCafferty.

Twelve-year-old Jessica Darling receives another cryptic list from her older sister, Bethany. While hosting a slumber party and planning a Halloween costume, Jessica tries to navigate the seventh grade social scene, with mixed results. Sequel to Jessica Darling's It List (DB 80184). For grades 6-9. 2014.

6178339 The misadventures of the family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy.

The adventures of a family with two fathers, four adopted boys, and a variety of pets as they make their way through a school year--kindergarten through sixth grade--and deal with a grumpy new neighbor. For grades 3-6. 2014.

Fantasy

6178232 Ratscalibur: part one of The Chronicles of the Low Realm by Josh Lieb.

After being bitten by a rat, Joey transforms from aspiring seventh grader to a small rodent. As he journeys through the streets, learning his new life, Joey unwittingly unlocks the sword Ratscalibur and must fulfill an ancient rat prophecy. For grades 4-7. 2015.

Friendship stories

6178254 The storybook of legends (Ever After High Ser.) by Shannon Hale.

At Ever After High, a boarding school for the sons and daughters of famous fairy-tale characters, students Apple White and Raven Queen face the moment when they must choose whether to follow their destinies or change them. For grades 5-8. 2013.

General fiction

6178262 Jessica Darling's it list: the (totally not) guaranteed guide to popularity, prettiness & perfection (Jessica Darling's It List Ser. #1) by Megan McCafferty.

The day before seventh grade begins, twelve-year-old Jessica Darling gets a list from her sister, whose popularity and beauty made her a junior-high standout. But when Jessica tries to follow the advice, all goes awry. She even loses her best friend. For grades 6-9. 2013.

Historical fiction

6181008 Hurricane heroes in Texas: Magic tree house, book 30 (Magic Tree House (R)) by Mary Pope Osborne.

Jack and Annie travel in the magic tree house to Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900--the day of a devastating natural disaster. For grades 2-4. 2018.

Holiday fiction

6181005 Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year parade, book 2 (Mindy Kim Ser. #2) by Lyla Lee.

Mindy Kim is excited to go to the Lunar New Year parade with her father and her best friend, Sally. She decides to make traditional Korean New Year food, a rice-cake soup that's her favorite, but things don't go as planned. For grades K-3. 2020.

Humourous fiction

6178271 Wedgieman and the big bunny trouble (Step Into Reading Series/ A Step 3 Book) by Charise Mericle Harper.

When Bad Dude creates a machine that makes objects grow enormously or shrink to tiny size, it's up to Wedgieman to straighten things out. For grades K-3 and older readers. 2014.

Mysteries and crime stories

6178241 Theodore Boone: the fugitive (Theodore Boone Ser. #5) by John Grisham.

When his eighth-grade class goes on a field trip to Washington, D.C., Theodore Boone spots accused murderer Pete Duffy. But Theo's good intentions to help secure the fugitive put him in danger. Sequel to Theodore Boone: The Activist (BR 20135). Some violence. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2015.

School stories

6181004 Mindy Kim and the yummy seaweed business, book 1 (Mindy Kim Ser. #1) by Lyla Lee.

Seven-year-old Mindy Kim desperately wants a puppy and to fit in at her new Florida school. But when her favorite snack of dried seaweed initially leads to ridicule and then a thriving business, Mindy Kim believes she has found her path to owning a pet. For grades K-3. 2020.

6181006 Some assembly required: Toy Academy by Brian Lynch.

Attending Toy Academy to train in the art of play, misfit little toy Grumbolt, resolves to find his proper place. But when a plot by rival Evil Toy Academy threatens his school, Grumbolt takes a risk and proves his worth. For grades 2-4. 2018.

Science fiction

6178287 Revealed (The missing Ser. #7) by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

After returning the missing kids to their original time periods, thirteen-year-old Jonah must save time itself. Aviator Charles Lindbergh mysteriously appears and kidnaps Jonah's sister. Sequel to Risked (BR 20770). For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2014.

6178274 Risked (The missing Ser. #6) by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Time traveler siblings Jonah and Katherine arrive in 1918 Russia, just as Alexei, Anastasia, and the rest of Tsar Nicholas II's family are about to be executed. Sequel to Caught (BR 20747). For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2014.

Fantasy

6178218 An ember in the ashes: a novel (An ember In The Ashes Ser. #1) by Sabaa Tahir.

Laia is a scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire's greatest military academy to find a way to save him. Some violence and some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2015.

General fiction

6178224 We were liars by E Lockhart.

Spending the summers on her family's private island off the coast of Massachusetts with her cousins and a special boy named Gat, teenaged Cadence struggles to remember what happened during her fifteenth summer. For senior high and older readers. 2014.

Ghost and horror stories

4386171 Redeemed: a House of Night novel (House of Night Novels #12) by Kristin Cast and P. C Cast.

In trouble, Zoey Redbird, from Revealed (DB 77889), surrenders herself to the Tulsa Police. Meanwhile, Neferet has made herself known to mortals and prepares to enslave Tulsa's citizens. One final battle remains between good and evil. Strong language, descriptions of sex, and some violence. For senior high and older readers. 2014.

Mysteries and crime stories

6178333 Blood of my blood (I Hunt Killers Ser. #3) by Barry Lyga.

Jazz Dent, his girlfriend Connie, and his best friend Howie are all facing their own personal horrors involving serial killer escapee Billy Dent. To stay alive, the three need to find a way to stop him. Sequel to Game (BR 20086). Violence and strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2014.

Romance

4380113 The DUFF: designated ugly fat friend: a novel by Kody Keplinger.

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper sleeps with Wesley Rush--a notorious womanizer who disgusts her--in order to distract herself from her personal problems. To Bianca's surprise, the two of them find they have a lot in common. Strong language and descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 2010.

Non-fiction for children and young adults

Biography

4381689 28 days: moments in Black history that changed the world by Charles R. Smith Jr.

In tribute to Black History Month, the author retells the events of twenty-eight extraordinary days throughout history that helped to revolutionize life for African Americans. Celebrates the lives of important individuals. For grades 2-4 and older readers. 2015.

General non-fiction

4348498 Monstrous: the lore, gore, and science behind your favorite monsters by Carlyn Beccia.

Presents the origins of eight scary creatures: Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, zombies, King Kong, werewolves, the kraken, Bigfoot, and Godzilla. The author uses science to explain the myth, and discusses the events that led to the rise of the beasts. For grades 5-8. 2019.

Health and medicine

6178196 Fatal fever: tracking down Typhoid Mary by Gail Jarrow.

Chronicles the story of the early 1900s typhoid fever epidemic in New York City. Provides details as to how its infamous carrier was ultimately tracked down and stopped. Includes short profiles of famous typhoid victims, a glossary, and timeline of the disease. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2015.

Arts and entertainment

4396743 A splash of red: the life and art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant.

Biography of self-taught African American folk artist Horace Pippin (1888-1946). Describes Pippin's childhood in Pennsylvania and New York, the combat injury that threatened to end his career, his struggle to learn to paint again, and the widespread fame he achieved. Schneider Family Award. For grades K-3 and older readers. 2013.

Animals and wildlife

6178237 Wildoak by C. C Harrington.

Twelve-year-old Maggie's stutter causes her much heartache and only her menagerie of pets, whom she can speak with fluidly, provide her comfort, but when she finds Rumpus, an abandoned snow leopard in a forest in Cornwall, their chance encounter will change their lives forever. -- Provided by publisher. For grades K-8. 2022.

Biography

6178236 Areli is a dreamer: a true story by Areli Morales.

DACA recipient Areli Morales shares her own immigration story of moving from a quiet town in Mexico to the bustling and noisy metropolis of New York City. Includes a glossary of Spanish terms. For grades K-3. 2021.

Computers and internet

6178369 Mr. Klutz is nuts! (My Weird School Ser. #2) by Dan Gutman.

A skateboarding principal offers unusual incentives to motivate his students to learn more. For grades 2-4. 2004.

General non-fiction

6181007 Ready for action: Toy Academy (Toy Academy) by Brian Lynch.

After the events in Some Assembly Required (BR 23851), misfit toy Grumbolt trains as an action toy and sidekick to Rex Everything, the academy bully. When toy Tempest Boomcloud breaks out of a display case, the unlikely duo race to stop her. For grades 2-4. 2019.

History

6178261 The President has been shot: the assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L Swanson.

Account of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) in Dallas, Texas. Describes his final days, the political climate, the search for his killer, and the nation's farewell to its leader. Some violence. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2013.

Home and garden

5827377 A seed grows by Antoinette Portis.

An educational picture book about the life cycle of a sunflower. -- Provided by publisher. For grades K-8. 2022.

Nature

6081233 How does a seed sprout?: life cycles with the very hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle.

In this nonfiction story, young readers explore the transformation of a seed into a tree. -- Provided by publisher. For grades K-8. 2022.

6081650 Sharks forever: the mystery and history of the planet's perfect predator (Orca wild #9) by Mark Leiren-Young.

Did you know that some sharks have friends? Or that there are sharks small enough to swim in a soup can? There are sharks who can walk on land and others who make their own light. Sharks Forever takes a deep dive into the lives of sharks--their habitat, biology, habits and personalities. For grades K-8. 2022.

Poetry

6178213 Brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson.

Autobiography told through vivid poems. Jacqueline Woodson explores her childhood as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s and her growing awareness of the civil rights movement. Reflects on the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite her difficulties with reading as a child. For grades 4-7. 2014.

Social issues

6178200 Attack of the black rectangles by A. S King.

When sixth-grader Mac discovers several words of his classroom copy of Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic are blacked out he is outraged, so he, his friends, and his eccentric family set out to do something about the censorship imposed by one teacher and the school board. -- Provided by publisher. For grades K-8. 2022.

United States history

6178204 Sweet justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Mara Rockliff.

A picture book biography about Georgia Gilmore, the woman whose cooking helped feed and fund the Montgomery bus boycott of 1956. -- Provided by publisher. For grades K-8. 2022.

Biography of persons with disabilities

4380883 Laughing at my nightmare by Shane Burcaw.

Burcaw describes the challenges he faces as a twenty-year-old with spinal muscular atrophy--from awkward handshakes to trying to find a girlfriend, and everything in between. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2014.

General non-fiction

4383651 White space (The Dark Passages #Bk. 1) by Ilsa J. Bick.

Seventeen-year-old Emma Lindsay jumps between the lines of books and into the white space where realities are created and destroyed. To make matters worse, Emma fears she may be a character written into existence from an alternate universe. Some violence and some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2014.

Fiction for adults

Adventure stories

6178215 The vanished: a Jonathan Quinn novel (Jonathan Quinn novel #15) by Brett Battles.

A missing physicist, two botched jobs, and a world gone mad. It's been nine years since Quinn last worked with Mariko. That fateful job left him with a permanent sense of guilt, and her with a life forever changed. Now, their paths have crossed again. Not in a way Quinn would have hoped for, but at least in one that might allow him to make partial amends. To accomplish this, he will have to risk his career, by ignoring the strict orders he's been given. 2020.

Bestsellers (Fiction)

6178295 The buried giant: A Novel by Kazuo Ishiguro.

An elderly couple in first-century Britain set off on a journey to find the son they barely remember. They face dangers mundane and supernatural that will test their bond, and they meet a Saxon warrior and a knight from King Arthur's court along the way. Some violence. Bestseller. 2015.

4382906 West of Sunset: a novel by Stewart O'Nan.

1937. F. Scott Fitzgerald heads to Hollywood. He leaves behind his wife, Zelda, in a private mental institution and his daughter, Scottie, in the care of family and friends. Churning out short stories and scripts, his health deteriorates and new love beckons. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2015.

Christian fiction

6178208 A season of change: an Amish inn novel (Amish inn novels #03) by Beth Wiseman.

Sisters Esther and Lizzie have a new employee, Rose Petersheim, to help them tend to The Peony Inn. But their old matchmaking ways have stayed the same. The sisters focus their efforts on the lovely twenty-five-year-old Rose. 2021.

6178233 Honor by Thrity N Umrigar.

Indian American journalist Smita has reluctantly returned to India to cover a story. As she follows the case of Meena--a Hindu woman attacked for marrying a Muslim man--Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one's own heart. Violence and strong language. 2022.

Fantasy

4382754 A darker shade of magic: A Novel (Shades of Magic #1) by Victoria Schwab.

There are four Londons, and Kell is one of the only travelers able to go between the worlds. Enterprising thief Lila lives in Grey London, where magic is nonexistent, and when Kell brings a forbidden magical object from Black London across the worlds, Lila steals it. Some violence. 2015.

6178355 Get in trouble: stories by Kelly Link.

Short story collection in which each new story contains an unusual fictional universe. Hurricanes, astronauts, evil twins, bootleggers, Ouija boards, iguanas, superheroes, and more are all encountered. In the opening story, "The Summer People," a young girl serves as caretaker for unseen visitors. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2015.

6178368 Stardust by Neil Gaiman.

The rural English town called Wall borders on a meadow inhabited by Faeries. While at a festival, Dunstan Thorn, of Wall, mates with a Faerie lass and produces a son, Tristran. Years later, Tristran promises his intended to retrieve a fallen star and embarks on an arduous quest. Some violence. 1999.

Folklore, fables and fairy tales

4381734 The turnip princess: and other newly discovered fairy tales (Penguin classics) by Maria Tatar, Erika Eichenseer, Engelbert Suss, and Franz Xaver von Schönwerth.

In the 1850s, Franz Xaver von Schönwerth traveled Bavaria, recording local fairy tales. Most of his work was lost until the early twenty-first century, when manuscripts were uncovered. This collection serves as the very first English translation of these tales. Translated from German. Violence and some descriptions of sex. 2015.

General fiction

6178214 Before your memory fades: a novel (Before The Coffee Gets Cold Ser. #3) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.

On the hillside of Mount Hakodate in northern Japan, Cafe Donna Donna is fabled for its dazzling views of Hakodate port. But that's not all. Like the charming Tokyo cafe Funiculi Funicula, Cafe Donna Donna offers its customers the extraordinary experience of travelling through time. Translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot and featuring signature heart-warming characters and wistful storytelling, in Before Your Memory Fades, Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: what would you change if you could travel back in time? 2023.

6178276 Funny girl: a novel by Nick Hornby.

London, 1960s. Intrepid young Sophie Straw navigates her transformation from provincial ingénue to television starlet amid a constellation of idiosyncratic actors and writers. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2015.

6178209 Leaving time: a novel by Jodi Picoult.

Jenna Metcalf has never stopped searching for her mother, Alice, who mysteriously disappeared in the wake of a tragic accident. Refusing to believe that Alice--a scientist who studied grief among elephants--had abandoned her young child, Jenna now enlists the help of a psychic and a PI. Some strong language. 2014.

6178290 My sunshine away by M. O Walsh.

A man reflects back on the summer of 1989, when he was fourteen. The golden-haired neighbor girl he was in love with experienced an unspeakable crime in their seemingly idyllic Baton Rouge neighborhood. One of many suspects, the teenager discovered how life can be irreversibly transformed by heartbreak, guilt, and love. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2015.

2449969 Our souls at night: A Novel by Kent Haruf.

Seventy-year-old widow Addie Moore asks her neighbor Louis Waters to spend the nights with her in her bed to help with the loneliness they both feel. As the two talk in the night they become close, but they become the subject of gossip in their small town. Some strong language. 2015.

4381943 The door by Magda Szabó and Len Rix.

Magda, a writer, describes her post-war rise to prominence. When she and her academic husband hire peasant Emerence to be their housekeeper, Magda becomes transfixed by Emerence's life. Revelation of a secret shocks Magda from her complacency. Translated from the 1987 Hungarian edition. Some violence. 2015.

Ghost and horror stories

4385790 Revival: a novel by Stephen King.

In a small town in 1962, six-year-old Jamie Morton and his family are introduced to the new charismatic reverend Charles Jacobs. Then tragedy strikes the Jacobs family and the once popular clergyman is banished. Years later, a reunited Jamie and Charles precipitate horrific events. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 2014.

Historical fiction

6178211 Mañana means heaven (Camino del sol: A latina and latino literary series) by Tim Z Hernandez.

Fictionalized account of the romantic relationship between Jack Kerouac, author of On the Road (BR 18352), and Bea Franco in 1940s California. Twenty-seven-year-old migrant worker Bea is struggling to make her marriage work when she meets charismatic college student Jack. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2013.

6178198 Murder in Murray Hill: a Gaslight Mystery (Gaslight mystery #16) by Victoria Thompson.

Frank Malloy has never known any life other than that of a cop, but his newfound inheritance threatens his position within his department. While trying to keep both his relationship with Sarah and his fortune under wraps, he's assigned to a new case-finding a missing young woman for her worried father, Henry Livingston. It seems the girl had been responding to lonely hearts ads in the paper for months before she disappeared. But as Sarah and Malloy delve deeper into a twisted plot targeting the city's single women, it's their partnership - both professional and private - that winds up in the greatest peril... 2014.

Humourous fiction

4382526 Plus One: a novel by Christopher Noxon.

Mid-level marketing executive Alex's wife, Figgy, is catapulted into the Hollywood whirlwind when her fourteenth TV pilot earns an Emmy nomination. Alex finds himself being the support parent to their kids and finds friendship and alliances with the other "Plus Ones". Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2015.

Legal stories

2446264 Gray Mountain: A Novel by John Grisham.

Furloughed Wall Street attorney Samantha Kofer is offered an unpaid year-long stint at an Appalachian legal-aid clinic with the slim chance of returning to her old job when done. Entering the murky world of coal mining, Samantha is soon engulfed in litigation that turns deadly. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2014.

6178242 Mad honey: a novel by Jodi Picoult.

Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life-living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising their beautiful son, Asher, was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her father's beekeeping business. Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves. 2022.

Mysteries and crime stories

4381718 Backlash: an Anna Travis novel (Anna Travis Series #8) by Lynda La Plante.

Pulling over a van for erratic driving, the police find a woman's corpse in the back. A second surprise happens while interrogating the driver, Henry Oates. He volunteers that he has killed two others--and one is from a case that still haunts DCS James Langton. Violence and strong language. 2013.

4415769 Blind fury by Lynda La Plante.

To link the murder of a young woman found near a highway service station to other similar cases, DI Anna Travis must interview a prisoner who is obsessed with her. Anna surprises herself by falling for an appealing prison guard. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2011.

4381947 Blood line: an Anna Travis novel (Anna Travis Series #7) by Lynda La Plante.

Newly promoted to DCI of London's murder squad and still suffering from the death of her boyfriend, Anna Travis must focus on determining whether the missing son of a court employee is, in fact, dead. Violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2012.

6178278 Blue labyrinth (Agent Pendergast Ser. #14) by Douglas J Preston.

Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast finds one of his worst enemies dead on his doorstep. Pendergast has no idea who killed him or brought him to his home. A piece of turquoise in the corpse's stomach leads Pendergast to an abandoned mine on California's Salton Sea shore. 2014.

6178366 Criminal enterprise (A stevens And Windermere Novel Ser. #2) by Owen Laukkanen.

With no job and bills to pay, Carter Tomlin begins robbing banks. Over time he develops a taste for the violence. Windermere and Stevens team up for the first time since The Professionals (BR 20811), their first case together. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2013.

Romance

6178234 A fire endless: a novel (Elements of Cadence #02) by Rebecca Ross.

East and West. Humans and Spirits. Breccans and Tamerlaines. The Isle of Cadence has always held itself and its residents in a tenuous balance. But now Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, has pushed everyone and everything in his path off-kilter in a bid to claim dominion over human and spirit alike. Yet no one can challenge the North Wind without paying a price, and the sacrifice required this time may just be the ultimate one. 2022.

6178240 The high notes: a novel by Danielle Steel.

Iris Cooper has been singing ever since she can remember, hitting the high notes like no one else. When she is twelve, her father convinces the owner of a bar in Lake City, Texas, to let her perform, and she stuns the audience. In the ensuing years, never staying anywhere for long, father and daughter move from one dusty town to the next, her passion for music growing every time she takes the mike in another roadhouse. In The High Notes, Danielle Steel delivers an inspiring story about finding the strength to stand up for yourself and your dreams, no matter what it takes. 2022.

Science fiction

4384681 Near enemy: a Spademan novel by Adam Sternbergh.

A year after the events of Shovel Ready (DB 78278), Spademan accepts a job to snuff out someone named Lesser. But when Lesser claims terrorists have found ways to infiltrate the limnosphere and hijack it from the inside, Spademan learns he has more dangerous enemies than he ever realized. Violence and strong language. 2015.

Short stories

2446246 One more thing: stories and other stories by B. J Novak.

Sixty-four short stories by writer and actor best known for the television series The Office. In "Romance, Chapter One" two friends discuss their romantic prospects. "If I Had a Nickel" contemplates the economics of being paid five cents for every time a cup of coffee is spilled. Strong language. Bestseller. 2014.

4392446 Redeployment by Phil Klay.

Twelve stories about soldiers at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the personal wars they fight reintegrating into society at home. In the title story, a soldier who had to shoot dogs on the battlefield must readjust to life in suburban America. Violence. 2014.

4380542 Voices in the night: stories by Steven Millhauser.

Many of the sixteen stories in this collection are set in small towns where things and people are strangely off-kilter. They balance the fantastic and the realistic, and feature unexplained phenomena, reimagined myths, obsessive compulsions, and wonder that turns inevitably to dread. 2015.

Suspense and thrillers

4383119 City of savages by Lee Kelly.

The Red Allies turned New York into a POW camp. When sisters Sky and Phee discover their mother's hidden journal from the war's outbreak and meet a group of English strangers, they discover long-kept secrets about both their mother and the island. Some violence and some strong language. 2015.

4379123 Dry bones in the valley: a novel (The Henry Farrell Series #1) by Tom Bouman.

In a small town on the northern border of Pennsylvania, where neighbors argue over fracking rights, a young stranger's body is discovered on Aub's land. Policeman Henry's investigation leads to another body from years ago and the murder of his deputy. Strong language and some violence. 2014.

6178335 Gathering prey (A prey Novel Ser. #25) by John Sandford.

Called Travelers, they move from city to city, panhandling but committing no crimes. When Lucas Davenport's adopted daughter, Letty, learns that a woman Traveler she'd befriended thinks somebody is killing her friends, Lucas accompanies Letty on an odyssey through a subculture unlike any he has ever seen. Violence and strong language. 2015.

6178371 Kill fee (A stevens And Windermere Novel Ser. #3) by Owen Laukkanen.

Stevens and Windermere witness the assassination of one of the state's wealthiest men. The young man responsible for the shooting is unremarkable, except for something very wrong in his eyes. Violence and strong language. 2014.

6178288 Life or death by Michael Robotham.

Audie Palmer has spent ten years in a Texas prison for a robbery in which four people died and seven million dollars went missing. He has been beaten, stabbed, and threatened by inmates and guards who want the money. The day before Audie's release date, he suddenly vanishes. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2014.

Westerns

6178253 The intruders (Buck Trammel western #03) by William W Johnstone.

Blackstone, Wyoming, belongs to King Charles Hagen. The rancher bought land, built businesses, and employed most of the townsfolk. Unfortunately Sheriff Buck Trammel is not on His Majesty's payroll. The lawdog won't be tamed or trained to accept the king's position as master of the territory, but neither will he threaten his empire. A civil war is coming to Blackstone. And when the gunsmoke clears, Buck Trammel is determined to be the last man standing. 2021.

Non-fiction for adults

Anthologies

4382013 A reunion of ghosts: a novel by Judith Claire Mitchell.

When one of three Alter sisters is diagnosed with terminal cancer, they all decide to commit suicide. They intend their suicide note as a chronicle of the sad history of their family in the hopes of breaking the family's bad luck. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2015.

6178244 The gone dead train: A mystery by Lisa Turner.

After time away in the aftermath of a horrible case that left his partner dead, detective Billy Able returns to Memphis. He is quickly thrown into a vortex of bizarre murders, Santeria voodoo, a damning photograph, and a stunning betrayal by a civil rights icon. Strong language and some violence. 2014.

Biography

4381444 All who go do not return: a memoir by Shulem Deen.

Deen reflects on being raised in one of the most insular sects of Hasidic Judaism, the Skverers, who believe the outside world should be shunned. He details his dawning curiosity; covert explorations through radio, reading, and the Internet; and his resulting family conflicts and loss of faith. 2015.

6178375 Cocktail hour under the tree of forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller.

Following her memoir about her African childhood, Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight (BR 20845), Fuller describes the origins of her Scottish mother and English father and farm life in Kenya, Rhodesia, and finally Zambia. Covers multiple civil wars and highlights struggles with racism and personal tragedies. 2011.

4379604 How I shed my skin: unlearning the racist lessons of a Southern childhood by Jim Grimsley.

Professor of creative writing reflects on growing up in rural eastern North Carolina and the integration of his school in 1966. Discusses the prejudices ingrained in him, dealing with his new classmates, and the manifestations in his town of the social turmoil of the 1960s and 70s. Some strong language. 2015.

6178361 If you find this letter: my journey to find purpose through hundreds of letters to strangers: a memoir by Hannah Brencher.

Brencher, founder of the website "The World Needs More Love Letters," describes moving to New York City after college and dealing with depression. Chronicles acknowledging her depression, seeing strangers on the train and writing hopeful letters to them, and offering hundreds of letters randomly to those in need. 2015.

Business and economics

4395867 The second machine age: work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew Mcafee.

Brynjolfsson, director, and McAfee, principal research scientist of MIT's Center for Digital Business, explore the effects of digital technologies on our lives and economy. They examine the widening economic gaps and the capabilities of artificial intelligence, and propose tax, research, and education policy changes to reflect the changing environment. 2014.

Disabilities

4385415 Freedom found: 7 seeing eye miracles by Joseph Dean Klatt.

Autobiography of Joseph Dean Klatt and the challenges he faced when he lost his eyesight in a tragic car accident at the age of nineteen. Discusses his determination to achieve independence, his academic years, his seven Seeing Eye dogs, and his personal life. 2013.

Drama

6178266 Glengarry Glen Ross: a play by David Mamet.

A group of real estate salesmen are having frustrating bad streaks and getting reprimanded for their output. Their excuse is that they are given the same sorry leads over and over. Now if they could only get their hands on that prime batch of Glengarry leads. Strong language. Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 1983.

6178292 Proof: a play by David Auburn.

Catherine spent years caring for her father, an unstable mathematician. At his death, along with grief and feelings of missed opportunities, she must cope with her estranged sister Claire and a former student of her father who hopes he left behind a valuable proof. Some strong language. Pulitzer Prize. 2001.

Environment

6178376 Betting the farm on a drought: stories from the front lines of climate change by Seamus McGraw.

Journalist examines the impact of climate change on farmers, ranchers, and fishermen--some of whom do not believe in it. Recounts conversations with scientists and policymakers regarding the science behind the phenomenon. Offers suggestions for ways to further advance discussions of the issue. 2015.

Food and drink

5830179 Salt, fat, acid, heat: mastering the elements of good cooking by Samin Nosrat.

Chef and writer Samin Nosrat has taught everyone from professional chefs to middle school kids to author Michael Pollan to cook using her revolutionary, yet simple, philosophy. Master the use of just four elements - Salt, which enhances flavor; Fat, which delivers flavor and generates texture; Acid, which balances flavor; and Heat, which ultimately determines the texture of food - and anything you cook will be delicious. 2017.

General non-fiction

6178206 A rule against murder: a Chief Inspector Gamache novel (Chief Inspector Gamache Novel Ser. #4) by Louise Penny.

Armand Gamache, chief inspector of Quebec homicide, and his wife Reine-Marie vacation at an inn outside of Montreal. When a member of the Morrow family, attending a reunion at the same inn, is murdered, Gamache investigates and uncovers secrets among the staff and guests. Some strong language. 2008.

6178249 Barron's How to prepare for the GED test: All New Content For The Computerized 2014 Exam by Christopher M Sharpe.

Guide to the 2014 revised General Educational Development (GED) exam, required for the high school equivalency diploma. Offers practice exercises to test basic knowledge in reading, writing, social studies, science, mathematics, and blended subjects. Provides study tips, strategies, and techniques for passing the test with high marks. 2014.

Health and medicine

4382165 Do zombies dream of undead sheep?: a neuroscientific view of the zombie brain by Timothy Verstynen and Bradley Voytek.

Through the lens of the popular-culture phenomenon of zombies, psychologist Verstynen and cognitive scientist Voytek examine how the brain works. Discusses real-life accounts of zombies, physiology, sensory perception, cognition, and how the science behind them will help those not affected survive the coming zombie apocalypse. 2014.

6178201 Plagues and their aftermath: how societies recover from pandemics by Brian Michael Jenkins.

In a concise, authoritative, and gripping telling, Brian Michael Jenkins - one of our leading authorities on national security and an advisor to governments, presidents and CEOs - provides a masterly account of what kind of future the planet might be facing by looking at the world's long history of epidemics and discerning what was common about their aftermath. Jenkins' sobering analysis is riveting and thought-provoking reading for general readers and specialists alike, and throws welcome light into what many fear is a dark future. 2022.

4378404 The emotional journey of the Alzheimer's family by Robert B. Santulli and Kesstan Blandin.

Immediate family members, friends, and neighbors of those with Alzheimer's undergo tremendous psychological and emotional change as they witness the disease progress. Santulli and Blandin chart this journey, the process of adaptation and acceptance, and provide insight on how to understand and cope with personal stress. 2015.

Home and garden

6178243 The complete book of clean: tips & techniques for your home by Toni Hammersley.

Learn the best seasons to tackle home projects, storage solutions to simplify the process, and sweet natural solutions for every room and fixture. This book will help you tackle every mess, stain, and dust-magnet, and keep things from getting out of hand in the future-all while being friendly to the environment and keeping toxic chemicals out of your home. 2017.

Humour

2406509 Me talk pretty one day by David Sedaris.

A comic essayist and public-radio commentator recalls having speech therapy forced upon him (and other "future homosexuals" with lisps) as a child; acquiring his lifelong hatred of computers; failing in an attempt at teaching; and trying to learn French while living in France. Strong language. 2000.

Literature

4394750 The faraway nearby by Rebecca Solnit.

Author presents a series of essays exploring the ways people use storytelling to understand their experiences and those of others. Topics covered include her mother's dementia, a trip to Iceland, and an illness. ALA Notable Book. 2013.

Music

4394512 Paul Robeson: a watched man by Jordan Goodman.

Historian examines the political life of singer and actor Paul Robeson (1898-1976), best known for his role in the musical Show Boat. Investigates Robeson's activism for peace, trade unions, and civil rights and the U.S. government's intense scrutiny of him, which resulted in his passport being revoked in 1952. 2013.

Poetry

4388959 Motherland, fatherland, homelandsexuals (Penguin poets) by Patricia Lockwood.

Collection of thirty-one poems exploring facets of the human experience through gender and sexuality. "List of Cross-Dressing Soldiers" begins as a paean to women who went to war as men, but turns into a reflection of a sibling's experience in battle. Some violence and some descriptions of sex. 2014.

4381988 The blue Buick: new and selected poems by B. H Fairchild.

Collection of new and previously published poems covering a wide range of topics with a core of Midwestern American culture. "Keats" reflects on the life of a coworker felled by a workplace hazard. The title poem shares part of the tale of machinist Roy Garcia. ALA Notable Book. 2014.

Politics and government

6036901 Not Here: Why American Democracy Is Eroding and How Canada Can Protect Itself by Rob Goodman.

What does it mean to live beside an eroding democracy? As this powerful and timely book argues, that question will define the next generation of Canadian politics. As a congressional staffer in the United States, Rob Goodman watched firsthand as a rising authoritarian movement disenfranchised voters, sabotaged institutions, and brought America to the brink of a coup. Laying bare the historical roots of today’s politics and making an urgent case for action, Not Here is a roadmap for safeguarding a democracy under unprecedented threat. 2023.

Religion

4384099 The lives of Muhammad by Kecia Ali.

Religion professor details the many ways Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, has been depicted by both Muslims and non-Muslims since his death in the seventh century A.D., especially during the nineteenth century and later. Examines Muhammad's life, his teachings, his relationship with his wives--particularly Aisha--and scholars of his life. 2014.

4385698 Waking up: a guide to spirituality without religion by Sam Harris.

Neuroscientist and author of The End of Faith (DB 62053) reflects on the search for spirituality outside of religion and shares his own experiences. Discusses consciousness, the concept of self, meditation, and the use of gurus, drugs, and mysticism in the quest for enlightenment. 2014.

Science and technology

4372310 The best writing on mathematics, 2013 (The Best Writing on Mathematics Ser. #4) by Mircea Pitici.

Twenty essays exploring the history, philosophy, teaching, and everyday occurrences of mathematics. Includes the use of math in a multimedia-based civilization, mathematical anxiety experienced by students and ways to counteract it, and the comparison of exchange prices in open market transactions with the common understanding of probability, among others. 2014.

4382282 To explain the world: the discovery of modern science by Steven Weinberg.

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Weinberg examines the development of scientific reasoning across the world in a number of different fields. Chronologically examines the advancements of the ancient Greeks, Europe, and the Arab world in the Middle Ages, and the scientific revolution during the Enlightenment. 2015.

Self help

6178192 Probably approximately correct: nature's algorithms for learning and prospering in a complex world by Leslie Valiant.

Mathematician examines human behaviors and theorizes about people's innate use of algorithms to evaluate choices and make decisions. The author coins the term "ecorithms" in his discussion of how past experiences force learning and evolution in the use of these models. 2013.

6178297 Shrinks: the untold story of psychiatry by Jeffrey A Lieberman.

A history of the profession of psychiatry written by a former president of the American Psychiatric Association. From its first practitioners to Sigmund Freud and on to the present, the author discusses even now-reviled practices, such as lobotomies, and extols later scientific revolutions in the field. 2015.

Social issues

4379595 Class lives: stories from across our economic divide (A Class Action Book) by Chuck Collins, Felice Yeskel, Jennifer Ladd, and Maynard Seider.

This anthology of forty essays represents authors from a range of classes, genders, races, ethnicities, ages, and occupations across the United States. Each contributor describes their class journey in narrative form, recounting key stories that illustrate their growing awareness of the class system and their place within it. 2014.

4392600 Conspiracy theories & other dangerous ideas by Cass R. Sunstein.

Harvard law professor and former administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (2009-2012) provides a collection of essays. Covers topics such as conspiracy theories, climate change, same-sex marriage, animal rights, fear, and more. 2014.

4401596 Don't call me inspirational: a disabled feminist talks back by Harilyn Rousso.

Fifty-two essays by the disability activist, who has cerebral palsy. Explores growing up in the 1950s, feminist politics, dating and other relationships, and coming to terms with the presentation of her condition. Strong language. 2013.

4384286 Encounters at the heart of the world: a history of the Mandan people by Elizabeth A. Fenn.

Historian Elizabeth Fenn examines discoveries in archaeology, anthropology, geology, climatology, and epidemiology to retrieve the history of the Mandan Indians, a tribe of Plains people who lived along the upper Missouri River. Twenty-first century archaeological finds are referenced to demonstrate how the Mandan society thrived and later collapsed. 2014.

4385600 I stand corrected: how teaching Western manners in China became its own unforgettable lesson by Eden Collinsworth.

Businesswoman reflects on the year she spent researching an etiquette guide to Western manners for Chinese business people, which went on to be a bestseller in mainland China. Discusses Chinese culture in the twenty-first century, cultural differences and the negotiations required of both sides, and lessons she learned. 2014.

Travel and geography

6178296 Reclaiming travel by Ilan Stavans.

Stavans, professor of Latin American and Latino culture, and Ellison, a publishing professional, expand upon a 2012 opinion piece in the New York Times on the changing meaning of travel. They examine historical ideas of travel and tourism and posit that modern tourism has become performance. 2015.

War

6178363 The war that ended peace: the road to 1914 by Margaret MacMillan.

Historian Margaret MacMillan scrutinizes European history in the years leading up to the First World War, beginning in the early nineteenth century and ending with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. She uncovers political and technological changes, national decisions, and other factors that led Europe from peace to devastating war. 2014.