Books listed in this issue of Braille Book Review were recently sent to cooperating libraries. The complete collection contains books by many authors on fiction and nonfiction subjects, including animals, geography, nature, mystery, sports, and others. Contact your cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of books available in the collection.
To order books, contact your cooperating library.
Time for Bed BR 10013
by Mem Fox
1 volume
The book opens with a mother about to read a bedtime story to
her child and ends with the mother saying good night and tucking
her sleepy child into bed. In between, other mothers say good
night to their babies: a mouse, goose, cat, cow, horse, fish,
sheep, bird, bee, snake, dog, and deer. PRINT/BRAILLE. For
preschool-grade 2. 1993.
Switch Cat BR 10019
by Garry Disher
1 volume
A scruffy girl's sleek cat, Evangelina, prefers the well-groomed
neighbor girl, Cecilia. Likewise Cecilia's untidy cat, Ms. Whiz,
prefers Evangelina's owner. When Cecilia's family moves away,
all four pine for their better matches. PRINT/BRAILLE. For
grades K-3. 1994.
The Long Silk Strand BR 10020
by Laura E. Williams
1 volume
After supper one night, Yasuyo joins Grandmother as she begins
to wind strands of silk thread into a ball. Each night the ball
gets larger as Grandmother adds more thread and tells Yasuyo a
story about each piece of thread. When Grandmother dies, Yasuyo
finds a strand of silk thread hanging from the sky.
PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 1995.
The Library Dragon BR 10022
by Carmen Agra Deedy
1 volume
Miss Lotta Scales, the new librarian at Sunrise Elementary
School, is a dragon who fiercely protects her books. Children
are afraid to go to the library because she might singe them,
and teachers can't stand up to her. Finally, a small,
nearsighted girl enters the library, picks up a book, and begins
to read out loud. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 1994.
Later, Gator BR 10484
by Laurence Yep
1 volume
Teddy hates the fact that his little brother Bobby is so well
behaved. He always tries to get a rise out of Bobby by giving
him unlikable birthday presents, but this year Teddy's mother
insists he buy Bobby a turtle. Teddy compromises by buying Bobby
a baby alligator. To Teddy's surprise, Bobby loves his new pet!
For grades 3-6. 1995.
Boundless Grace BR 10495
by Mary Hoffman
1 volume
Grace's only family is her mother, grandmother, and a cat. Her
father returned to Africa after her parents divorced, and now he
has a new family. When her father sends Grace airplane tickets
to visit him, her excitement changes to fear that he will not
still love her. But as she is with him and his new wife and
children, she learns that families truly are what you make them.
Sequel to Amazing Grace (BR 8955). For grades K-3. 1995.
Songs in the Silence BR 10497
by Catherine Frey Murphy
1 volume
Hallie takes her friend's small boat out in the cove to have
privacy to cry for her little brother, Josh, who is in the
hospital after burning himself on the barbeque. Hallie falls out
of the boat and is guided to safety by an odd soothing voice.
The speaker is Melae, a whale who has entered the cove to assist
another whale who is injured. Hallie and her incredible new
friend secretly help each other cope. For grades 4-6. 1994.
Pinocchio's Sister BR 10500
by Jan Slepian
1 volume
Martha Rosedale, ten, is part of the traveling vaudeville act of
Iris and Mr. Rosedale. Iris is the wooden dummy her father uses
in his ventriloquist act, and, while Martha is a rather plain
looking child, Iris is quite beautiful and gets all of Mr.
Rosedale's attention. One night during a performance, Martha
suddenly realizes just how jealous she is of Iris and makes
plans to get rid of her. For grades 3-6. 1995.
Fifth-Grade Fever BR 10501
by Michele Granger
1 volume
When best friends Marty and Nina learn that they have handsome
Mr. Truesdale for their fifth-grade teacher, they make a plan to
become teacher's pets. It won't be easy: neither girl is a
particularly good student, and they have stiff competition from
Beverly, who has been a teacher's pet every year so far. For
grades 4-6. 1995.
Anna Is Still Here BR 10502
by Ida Vos
1 volume
Thirteen-year-old Anna survived the Holocaust by hiding in an
attic for three years. During that time, the only person she
spoke to was the man who brought her food. Now the war is over
and Anna and her family have been reunited, but her parents will
not talk about the war. Anna needs to discuss her fears, and
when she meets Mrs. Neumann, a German neighbor, she finally
finds someone to communicate with. For grades 5-8. 1986.
The Land of Gold BR 10505
by Gillian Bradshaw
1 volume
Princess Kandaki, awakened in the middle of the night by
screams, discovers her parents dead and a guard standing nearby
with a bloody spear in his hand. Kandaki is taken captive and
promised as a sacrifice to the water dragon. Fortunately
Prahotep, the Egyptian thief, and Hathor, a benign dragon, come
to Kandaki's rescue and help her regain her kingdom. Sequel to
The Dragon and the Thief (BR 10188). For grades 6-9.
1992.
Fig Pudding BR 10519
by Ralph Fletcher
1 volume
Cliff is the oldest of the six Abernathy children. His mom says
the family always overdoes everything, but the year Cliff
describes in this book is "like five years crammed into one." He
starts with December when toddler Josh is very sick in the
hospital and all he wants for Christmas is a mysterious "yidda
yadda." By the next year's end, recovered Josh accidentally
steps in the fig pudding his father made for a party. For grades
4-7. 1995.
Nobody's Daughter BR 10523
by Susan Beth Pfeffer
1 volume
Aunt Mabel's death leaves Emily a destitute orphan. Then she
learns that when her mother died years ago giving birth to her
sister, the baby lived and was adopted by an unknown family.
With no other family, Emily clings to the hope of finding her
sister even as she moves into the Austen Home for Orphaned
Girls. Emily tries not to despair as disappointments come. Then
a librarian helps Emily to understand her own worth and offers
friendship. For grades 3-6. 1995.
A Very Personal Computer BR 10532
by Justine Rendal
1 volume
Eighth-grader Pollard Gunning is having a bad year. An accident
took away his dog and his mother, his grades have gone downhill,
and he has no social life. Then a personal computer at school
tells Pollard it knows all about him and begins to give him
advice. For grades 5-8. 1995.
The Watchers: A Mystery at Alton Towers BR 10537
by Helen Cresswell
2 volumes
Katy and Josh have both been put in Kirby House, a children's
home. Unhappy there, the pair decide to run away to the local
amusement park, Alton Towers. They soon realize what Alton
Towers employees have always suspected: weird things happen
there at night. There is a bag lady who seems to be warning them
away and an obnoxious youth who calls himself the king. And
neither is quite human. For grades 4-7. 1993.
October Moon BR 10552
by Michael Scott
1 volume
Rachel Stone, fifteen, and her parents are in Ireland to visit
the four-hundred-year-old house and horse farm they have just
bought, and Rachel looks forward to the chance to do some
riding. Then some rather strange accidents begin to happen, and
they all seem directed toward Rachel. Rachel slowly discovers
that members of an ancient clan plan to pass a curse on to her
on Halloween. For grades 6-9. 1992.
A Horse for All Seasons: Collected Stories BR 10554
by Sheila Kelly Welch
1 volume
Twelve stories about horses. In "The Long March," Josh's
pregnant mare, Rosey, gets locked out of her stall and gives
birth in the woods, where border collie Kip guards her until
Josh can come. In "Hand-Me-Down Horse," Carrie is jealous of her
new neighbor and her fancy show horse until her own horse
becomes a hero. These two stories are set in the spring; the
other selections cover all four seasons. For grades 5-8. 1994.
A Girl's Best Friend BR 10555
by Harriet May Savitz
1 volume
Laurie Moss, twelve, is worried that her parents will put their
old beagle, Jessie, to sleep because of her arthritis. The vet
has some new medicine, but it is expensive so Laurie takes a
part-time job. Her boss is blind, like Laurie, and very
particular about how things are done at his bike shop.
Meanwhile, a new teacher thinks Laurie can't do anything by
herself, and a bully taunts her in the halls. For grades 3-6.
1995.
The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog BR 10558
by John R. Erickson
1 volume
Humorous tale of Hank the Cowdog, who is very proud of his
position as head of ranch security. Unfortunately, Hank's heroic
attempts at finding a chicken murderer backfire, and his helper
cowdog is no help at all. When the rancher accuses Hank of being
the killer, he quits his job, becomes an outlaw, and meets a
beautiful coyote. For grades 2-4. 1988.
Hob and the Goblins BR 10560
by William Mayne
1 volume
Invisible Hob works very hard helping one family at a time by
chasing the mischief out of the home while living beneath the
stairs. On the lookout for a new host, Hob happens on bus driver
Charlie. When a gremlin steals Charlie's bus and gets him fired,
Charlie decides to move his family to Fairy Ring Cottage. A
horrified Hob goes along, though he knows the cottage is full of
danger. For grades 4-6. 1993.
The Case of the Double Bumblebee Sting: Hank the Cowdog,
Volume 22 BR 10566
by John R. Erickson
1 volume
As Slim and Loper prepare to help a friend with his spring
branding for a few days, Hank the Cowdog, head of ranch
security, sticks his head into a bumblebee nest and gets stung
twice on the nose. Loper's wife, Sally May, takes Hank to the
vet and tries to make him comfortable while he gets better. But
she won't let him into the house until he gives her the "look of
maximum woe and misery." For grades 4-7. 1994.
Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered BR 10574
by Gary Paulsen
1 volume
In the 1950s, two boys on a farm find all kinds of trouble and
adventure. Told by one boy, whose parents are drunk a lot, the
story begins when he goes to stay with his cousin Harris's
family. The first day, he gets kicked in the groin and head by a
demonic cow, battles a manic rooster, wrestles a pig in manure,
rides monstrous horses, loses a bout with a lynx, and eats
around twenty meals. Some strong language. For grades 6-9. 1993.
Chicago Blues BR 10630
by Julie Reece Deaver
1 volume
Lissa, seventeen, attends art school in Chicago. Her parents are
divorced, and her sister, Marnie, eleven, lives with their
mother. When her alcoholism worsens, the mother decides she can
no longer keep Marnie. Lissa agrees to care for her sister, but
naturally Marnie does not want to leave her mother. The two
girls eventually establish a workable relationship, and all is
well until their mother decides she wants Marnie back. For
grades 6-9. 1995.
The Crystal Garden BR 10631
by Vicki Grove
2 volumes
Eliza's father has been dead for three years and her mother
wants to get a new start in life. So they move to Gouge Eye,
Missouri, with Mama's boyfriend Burl, whose group performs in
nearby Branson. Eliza hopes she will be able to find some
friends, but the only girl her age is Dierdre. Although the
girls have some similarities, Dierdre seems more interested in a
science project than a friend. For grades 5-8. 1995.
The Formerly Great Alexander Family BR 10643
by Susan Shreve
1 volume
Liam Alexander's fourth-grade friends always want to come to his
house to play, because Liam's family is so easygoing. When Liam
learns that his parents are separating, he's afraid his friends
will think he's a wimp for not being able to keep them together.
For grades 3-6. 1995.
Titanic Crossing BR 10644
by Barbara Williams
1 volume
As the Trask family sets sail aboard the Titanic in 1912,
thirteen-year-old Albert has a lot on his mind. His father has
died, leaving him to be the man of the family. His mother is
unhappy about returning to America from England, where they have
been living, and his younger sister is worse than a pest. When
the "unsinkable" ship begins to go down, Albert takes his
responsibilities seriously, risking his life. For grades 4-7.
1995.
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