Braille Book Review, Vol. 66, No. 3, May-June 1997 Braille Book Review May-June 1997 Volume 66, Number 3 _Braille Book Review_ is published bimonthly in large-print, braille, and computer diskette formats and distributed free to blind and physically handicapped individuals who participate in the Library of Congress free reading program. It lists braille magazines and books available through a network of cooperating libraries. The braille edition also lists recorded books, giving abbreviated annotations. News about library services is featured in both editions. The annotated list in this issue is limited to titles recently added to the national collection, which contains thousands of fiction and nonfiction titles, including classics, biographies, gothics, mysteries, and how-to and self-help guides. To learn more about the wide range of books in the national collection, readers may order catalogs and subject bibliographies from cooperating libraries. Librarians can check other resources for titles and answer requests for special materials. Readers can receive _Braille Book Review_ and other information through the Internet by accessing the the NLS home page at http://www.loc.gov/nls. To order books or for subscription changes, contact your local cooperating library. Correspondence regarding editorial matters should be sent to Publications and Media Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542. Library of Congress, Washington 1997 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 53-31800 ISSN 0006-873X Contents: In Brief Books for Adults Nonfiction Fiction Books for Children Nonfiction Fiction Braille Magazines ### _In Brief_ _Letter from National Advisory Group_ The members of the National Advisory Group on Collection-Building Activities wish to thank their fellow patrons and librarians for their input on the NLS program. Please be assured that your ideas and suggestions were thoroughly discussed and incorporated into the recommendations that the committee made during its deliberations in September 1996. Addition of a recommended book is a time-consuming process because of the many production and quality-checking steps in the audio recording and brailling processes. Do not let these time constraints discourage you from making suggestions. The NLS National Advisory Group represents you. Please continue to assist us by contacting committee members or your cooperating library with your suggestions. Input from patrons is a key ingredient in the success of our program. The group meets again at NLS on September 10-12, 1997. Copies of committee recommendations from its last meeting and NLS responses to the suggestions are available upon request by writing to Consumer Relations, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Washington, DC 20542 or by e-mail to nls@loc.gov. Please indicate whether you prefer large- print, audio cassette, or braille format. _Members of the National Advisory Group on Collection-Building Activities_ _Representatives from Consumer Organizations_ American Council of the Blind Mr. Tom Mitchell 1019 East Foxhill Road North Salt Lake, UT 84054 Blinded Veterans Association Mr. Art Mathews 477 H Street NW Washington, DC 20001 National Federation of the Blind Ms. Sandy Halverson 403 West 62nd Terrace Kansas City, MO 64113-1623 _Reader-at-large Representatives_ Midlands Region--Includes the following: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin Mr. Edward Legge 1309 Heritage Hills Jefferson City, MO 65101 Northern Region--Includes the following: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia Ms. Linda Kirk 8 Reeves Road Port Jefferson, NY 11777 Southern Region--Includes the following: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Virgin Islands Mr. David Faucheux 1404 Carmel Drive, Apt. 22B Lafayette, LA 70501 Western Region--Includes the following: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming Ms. Margaret Blomberg 514 Burleigh Avenue Aberdeen, WA 98520-2625 _Reference Circular on Braille Materials Now Available in Braille_ The Reference Circular_ Sources of Braille Reading Materials_ is now available in braille. It lists places where braille books and magazines can be purchased, rented, borrowed, or obtained free of charge. The circular is divided into five sections: general sources, religious sources, specialized sources for jumbo braille and print-braille, major braille presses and transcription sources, and resources for further information. The publication compiles information gathered from catalogs and literature of other agencies and organizations who responded to an NLS Reference Section survey. The circular is also available in large print and online at http://www.loc.gov/nls _Student Financial Assistance_ An audio publication giving information on academic financial assistance for disabled students is now available from network libraries. The guide, produced by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education, is in the form of a conversation between a disabled student and a counselor from the department's Federal Student Aid Information Center. In their dialog, the student and specialist discuss federal financial aid programs and also talk about state and private sources of funds for eligible students. For a cassette copy of the publication, contact your cooperating library. For a copy in compact-disc format, write Student Aid Audio Guide, Federal Student Aid Information Center, P.O. Box 84, Washington, DC 20044-0084. ### _Books for Adults_ 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 biographies, classics, gothics, mysteries, romances, 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. Note: For the information of the reader, a notice may appear immediately following the book description to indicate occurrences of strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, or violence. The word "some" before any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent occurrence, as in "some strong language." ### _Nonfiction_ The Life of Graham Greene, Volume 2: 1939-1955. BR 10240. by Norman Sherry. 6 volumes. A detailed, documented account of the British writer's most creative years. Greene juggles relationships with his wife and mistresses, struggles with his religious beliefs, seeks out areas of political conflict, and works as a spy. Sherry points out how Greene's experiences are reflected in his novels and plays. Follows _Graham Greene, Volume 1: 1904-1939 (BR 8344)_. Some violence. 1995. BR 10240. ## Grains: Seventy-six Healthy Recipes for Barley, Corn, Rye, Wheat, and Other Grains. BR 10395. by Joanne Lamb Hayes and Bonnie Tandy Leblang. 1 volume. The authors explore using barley, corn, kamut, millet, oats, rye, spelt, teff, triticale, and wheat as well as nongrains amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa and provide nutritional information, basic grain recipes, dishes for every meal, and mail-order sources for grains. Recipes include couscous salad, pilaf, and flat bread. 1995. BR 10395. ## Chocolate and the Art of Low-Fat Desserts. BR 10421. by Alice Medrich. 3 volumes. After years of creating rich chocolate desserts, Medrich was asked to teach a class on dishes having less than 30 percent of calories from fat. She has compiled recipes of her successes, which include lemon mousse cake, chocolate biscotti, flan with brandied prunes, and fallen chocolate souffle torte. Includes a chapter on healthy dessert basics such as sauces, sponge cakes, and pastries. 1994. BR 10421. ## The Place He Made. BR 10466. by Edie Clark. 2 volumes. As her marriage was ending, writer Edie Clark became attracted to the carpenter working with her husband. A quiet, gentle man who lived with his father, Paul Bolton had a reputation in the community as being odd. Edie describes their unusual courtship and the happy early days of their marriage. Then Paul is diagnosed with cancer, and the couple spends the next few years fighting the disease. Some strong language. 1995. BR 10466. ## Giving Away Simone: A Memoir. BR 10469. by Jan L. Waldron. 2 volumes. When the author was seventeen, she gave up her biracial baby, Simone, for adoption. Eleven years later Waldron met Simone (now named Rebecca), and the mother and daughter began to forge a relationship. Waldron describes the factors in her own life that led to the adoption (she was essentially abandoned by her mother who was an adoptee herself) and the hurdles that she and Rebecca have had to overcome. 1995. BR 10469. ## Spotted Dick, S'il Vous Plait: An English Restaurant in France. BR 10470. by Tom Higgins. 2 volumes. Tom Higgins, a translator, and his doctor wife, Sue, dream of owning an English restaurant in Lyon, an area noted for its fine French cuisine. Higgins describes the trials and tribulations of dealing with the French, who considered English fare a bad joke. The restaurant, which opened in 1986, proved a great success. Includes several recipes. 1995. BR 10470. ## Living Fences: A Gardener's Guide to Hedges, Vines, and Espaliers. BR 10477. by Ogden Tanner. 2 volumes. Living fences can screen and camouflage and act as property-line boundaries or partitions. Discusses selected species for deciduous and evergreen hedges, annual and perennial vines, and fruit-bearing and ornamental espaliers. Provides tips on choosing, planting, training, and caring for living fences. 1995. BR 10477. ## Knitting with Dog Hair: A Woof-to-Warp Guide to Making Hats, Sweaters, Mittens, and Much More. BR 10480. by Kendall Crolius and Anne Black Montgomery. 2 volumes. To the authors and experienced spinners, dog hair is "merely another nifty fiber to experiment with" when making yarn. They describe the yarn potential of different breeds and tell how to gather and card hair and spin it on a simple device. Includes knitting instructions for various garments and a directory of spinners who work with dog hair. 1994. BR 10480. ## Far-Flung Hubbell. BR 10481. by Sue Hubbell. 2 volumes. Like a favorite guest at dinner, journalist Hubbell tells thirteen stories of her travels around America, flavoring them with humor and history. In focusing on the specific--whether it is a great pie, a magician convention, or the demise of dime stores--she reflects an America that is familiar and down-to-earth and has an interesting background. Many of the pieces were published in _The New Yorker_. 1995. BR 10481. ## The American Bar Association Guide to Wills and Estates: Everything You Need to Know about Wills, Trusts, Estates, and Taxes. BR 10482. by The American Bar Association. 2 volumes. Explains that a person's estate consists of real estate, tangible personal property such as cars and furniture, and intangible property such as pensions, bank accounts, and insurance. Guidelines for estate planning include information on wills, trusts, and living wills and cover common estate-planning situations. 1995. BR 10482. ## Portuguese Cooking: The Authentic and Robust Cuisine of Portugal; Journal and Cookbook. BR 10485. by Carol Robertson. 1 volume. The author and her husband fell under the spell of the quiet, beautiful Portuguese country and its friendly people almost at once. As they traveled throughout Portugal, they kept a diary of the places they visited and the meals they ate, along with many recipes. This collection offers a glimpse into the country and its people, and includes recipes for many of the meals the Robertsons enjoyed. 1993. BR 10485. ## Moms Don't Get Sick. BR 10488. by Pat and Ben Brack. 1 volume. When Pat Brack is diagnosed with breast cancer, her youngest son, Ben, is ten years old. Mother and son alternately talk about their reactions to Pat's illness and treatment, and Ben's initial anger when the cancer recurs three years later. 1990. BR 10488. ## Murder on the Highway: The Viola Liuzzo Story. BR 10496. by Beatrice Siegel. 1 volume. The author tells of Viola Liuzzo, a white mother of five from Detroit who felt compelled to join the 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. After marching with blacks to obtain their right to vote, Liuzzo gave a fellow marcher a ride home. Ku Klux Klan members shot and killed Liuzzo as she was driving, making her the first white woman killed in the movement. For senior high and older readers. 1993. BR 10496. ## Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage, and Survival. BR 10504. by Velma Wallis. 1 volume. Based on an Athabaskan Indian legend the author heard from her mother. Ch'idzigyaak, seventy-five, and Sa', eighty, are members of a migratory tribe. The winter has been harsh, and food has been scarce. So the tribe leader decides to abandon the two old women when it is time to move on--after all, they will soon die anyway. But the pair take courage and decide they will die trying to survive. 1993. BR 10504. ## A Third Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 More Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit. BR 10515. by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. 3 volumes. The authors provide even more stories to "inspire and motivate you to love more unconditionally, live more passionately, and pursue your heartfelt dreams with more conviction." Topics include love, parenting, attitude, and wisdom. Sequel to _A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul (BR 10090)_. Bestseller 1996. BR 10515. ## Old Dogs and New Tricks. BR 10517. edited by Kenneth Jernigan. 1 volume. Stating that "it is never too late to learn new techniques and new ways of thought," Jernigan presents examples of himself and other members of the National Federation of the Blind doing just that. A woman learns to knit, a couple adopts a daughter, and a new deacon serves communion. 1996. BR 10517. ## Biography of the Blind: Including the Lives of All Who Have Distinguished Themselves as Poets, Philosophers, Artists, &c. &c.. BR 10518. by James Wilson. 3 volumes. Collected and edited by Kenneth Stuckey from the four original editions of 1821 through 1838. "Offers insights into the lives of blind people before the great emancipators of the blind," says Stuckey. Subjects include Homer, Milton, Handel, and many others. 1995. BR 10518. ## Nature's Numbers: The Unreal Reality of Mathematical Imagination. BR 10535. by Ian Stewart. 2 volumes. Describes the beauty of mathematics and explains it as a formal system of thought for working with patterns. Using clear and accessible language and everyday experiences, Stewart writes for the lay person without oversimplifying. Regarding deduction of scientific theories he says, "Mathematics is to nature as Sherlock Holmes is to evidence." 1995. BR 10535. ## Historic Speeches of African Americans. BR 10539. edited by Warren J. Halliburton. 2 volumes. Excerpts from noted speeches focus on slavery, emancipation and reconstruction, renewed racial strategies, the civil rights revolution, and assessment after the revolution. Speakers include Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Shirley Chisholm, Angela Davis, and Jesse Jackson. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1993. BR 10539. ## My Own Two Feet: A Memoir. BR 10557. by Beverly Cleary. 2 volumes. This sequel to _A Girl from Yamhill (BR 9166)_ covers the children's author's life from the time she began college until shortly after her first book, _Henry Huggins (BR 7178)_, was published. Although money was tight, Cleary went away to college in California where she met her future husband, Clarence, then to Washington where she learned to be a children's librarian. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1995. BR 10557. ## My Dog Skip. BR 10573. by Willie Morris. 1 volume. The author tells how he grew up in a small southern town in the 1940s with a dog that could run football patterns and, it was believed, drive a car. The author demonstrates his evocative storytelling skills in this tribute to his dog, Skip. 1995. BR 10573. ## ### _Fiction_ The Collected Stories of Louis Auchincloss. BR 10420. by Louis Auchincloss. 4 volumes. Collection of nineteen short stories written between 1949 and 1994. Himself a Wall Street lawyer, Auchincloss is of the world of upscale New York City, and, like his major influences Edith Wharton and Henry James, he examines the mores and strictures of that society. His often-ironic approach provides insights into seemingly insular characters with a strong code of manners and ethics. Some strong language. 1994. BR 10420. ## Mister Touch. BR 10445. by Malcolm Bosse. 5 volumes. A dark tale in which a virus has destroyed civilization, leaving a decayed world of ill people and wild dogs. The Skulls, a group of survivors, is lead by Mister Touch, a sleazy Wall Street criminal, who is named for his blindness. He leads a caravan on a dangerous epic journey to Arizona, where they hope to start a new civilization. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1991. BR 10445. ## The Longest Winter. BR 10467. by Julie Harris. 3 volumes. John Robert Shaw, twenty-four, was attempting a long solo flight when his biplane crashed on an Alaskan island in 1926. He was nursed back to health by Kioki, an Eskimo woman. As years pass, Shaw slowly adopts the ways of the Native Americans. Seventeen years later, when the island is evacuated by soldiers, a scarred, one-armed Shaw returns to see what is left of his life in South Carolina. 1995. BR 10467. ## Seasons of Love. BR 10473. by June Masters Bacher. 1 volume. In this sequel to _Dreams beyond Tomorrow (BR 10472)_, pioneer Rachel Lord mourns the death of her newborn daughter. But she soon returns to teaching, realizing that "God was pointing out a path of service that would ease her sorrow." Meanwhile Rachel's husband prepares their grand new home, and the neighbors learn that gold has been found near their Oregon town. 1986. BR 10473. ## The Edge of the Crazies. BR 10474. by Jamie Harrison. 3 volumes. Archaeologist Jules Clement has returned to his hometown of Blue Deer, Montana, at the edge of the Crazy Mountains, where he follows in his late father's footsteps as sheriff. He finally has a case of substance when someone shoots screenwriter George Blackwater through his office window. George survives, but when his bitter wife becomes a target, she is less fortunate, which eliminates her as Clement's main suspect. Strong language and violence. 1995. BR 10474. ## Thirteen Stories. BR 10478. by Eudora Welty. 2 volumes. A collection of short stories celebrating "the lyrical impulse" by the award-winning southern storyteller. Although the settings and moods are regional, Welty's theme of the changing mystery of human relationships does not limit itself. In "The Wide Net" a young, pregnant wife's pique sets off a community effort to drag the river. A spoiled, conniving sister is to blame in "Why I Live at the P.O." Contains two winners of the O. Henry Award. 1965. BR 10478. ## The Value of Kindness. BR 10486. by Ellyn Bache. 2 volumes. A collection of sixteen short stories about ordinary women whose middle-class lives are graced by kindnesses given or received. In the title story, Cora finds a sense of importance through anonymous gifts of her time and respect. This collection won the Willa Cather Fiction Prize in 1992__. Some descriptions of sex. 1993. BR 10486. ## Dream Spinner. BR 10489. by Joanne Hoppe. 2 volumes. When Mary Barrone's widowed father remarries, the new family moves into an old Victorian house. For a high school project, Mary decides to experiment with lucid dreaming--willing herself to fly in her dreams. She succeeds, and night after night finds herself flying around her house but during an earlier time in history. She becomes involved with former residents of the house and tries to alter history. For junior and senior high readers. 1992. BR 10489. ## Much Ado about Prom Night. BR 10493. by William D. McCants. 1 volume. Becca Singleton left her high school paper to start a peer counseling program for her classmates. It is successful but her much-admired former editor keeps writing critical articles about the program. To make matters worse, Becca's boyfriend cheats on her, and her counseling is not helping her brother cope with their parents' divorce. Meanwhile, Becca and her friends agonize over the upcoming prom. For junior and senior high readers. 1995. BR 10493. ## Pippa Passes. BR 10494. by Rumer Godden. 2 volumes. The romance of Venice captures the imagination of Pippa on her first tour with the ballet company. At seventeen, she is a beautiful ingenue and enjoys captivating a handsome gondolier. She learns, however, that there is a darker side to attractiveness in the same way that there is a gritty side to Venice and to life itself. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. BR 10494. ## Ronicky Doone's Treasure. BR 10498. by Max Brand. 2 volumes. "Horse-breaker, mischief-maker, adventurer by instinct," Ronicky Doone loves a good fight, especially when it's for an underdog. As reward for helping Hugh Dawn and his daughter escape the savage revenge of gang leader Jack Moon, Doone is invited to share in the search for the gold Dawn is hunting. But first they must get past the vicious Jack Moon. Some violence. 1922. BR 10498. ## Rattlebone. BR 10499. by Maxine Clair. 2 volumes. Rattlebone is a mostly black community outside of Kansas City, Kansas. Eleven interconnected stories tell of Rattlebone in the 1950s and feature Irene Wilson as she comes of age. Entries focus on the troubled marriage of Irene's parents, the death of a boy who has a crush on Irene, and Irene's falling for a boy from an unusual settlement by the railroad tracks. 1994. BR 10499. ## Farm Team. BR 10506. by Will Weaver. 2 volumes. The high school baseball coach has hopes for Billy Baggs, but Billy's farm chores take priority over ball. Then Billy's father is sent to jail, and Billy knows his baseball days are over. But Billy's mother has an idea: Why not start a team that holds games Friday nights after chores? The odd assortment of players, including Billy's dog, are soon good enough to challenge the town team. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 1995. BR 10506. ## Under My Skin: A Hannah Wolfe Mystery. BR 10507. by Sarah Dunant. 2 volumes. London private investigator Hannah Wolfe is hired when someone begins sabotaging Castle Dean, a women's health spa. Hannah soon identifies the staff member who put maggots in the yogurt and pulled other pranks to ruin business. But whoever paid the saboteur has also targeted the spa owner's plastic-surgeon husband and is still at large. Some strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995. BR 10507. ## Faces in the Moon. BR 10522. by Betty Louise Bell. 1 volume. "I was raised on the voices of women. Indian women." So begins the story of Lucie, who has returned to Oklahoma as her mother is dying. Memories of three generations of women talking around the oilcloth-covered table fill Lucie, reminding her of changes in the Indian culture over time. Stories told over and over shine down on her, just as her grandmother had promised to watch down from the moon after she died. 1994. BR 10522. ## Pandora's Clock. BR 10529. by John J. Nance. 4 volumes. After American 747 flight 66 leaves Germany, a passenger has a heart attack. Pilot James Holland is shocked when London refuses to let him make an emergency landing. The passenger was exposed to a mysterious virus and no country (not even the United States) wants to handle a possible epidemic. Doctor Sanders of the CIA is Holland's only real ally, but Sanders must convince the pilot of that in time to save him. Strong language and violence. Bestseller 1995. BR 10529. ## Balboa Firefly. BR 10531. by Jack Trolley. 2 volumes. Six months ago, San Diego police sergeant Tommy Donahoo received an anonymous note warning that the airport, which has caused property values to plummet in the Balboa Park area, must be relocated. The note was written by desperate realtor Joseph Foley, who has multiple personalities and plans to shoot a plane out of the sky. What Foley and Donahoo don't realize is that someone else is hatching a similar plan. Strong language and violence. 1994. BR 10531. ## _Walking the Dog_ and Other Stories. BR 10533. by Bernard MacLaverty. 2 volumes. Nine short stories that explore unsettling aspects of Irish life. In the title story, a man is kidnapped by the IRA while walking his dog and is disgustedly released. In both "Compensations" and "Just Visiting," the main characters must deal with the impending death of a loved one. Strong language. 1994. BR 10533. ## The Book of Hrabal. BR 10536. by Peter Esterhazy. 2 volumes. Esterhazy looks at the changes taking place in countries once behind the iron curtain through the eyes of a writer, his wife, and two angels. Anna is pregnant with her fourth child and wants to have an abortion. Her husband, who is writing a book about Czech author Bohumil Hrabal, objects. So does God, who sends two angels to keep an eye on Anna to make sure she does not have the abortion. Some strong language. 1993. BR 10536. ## When She Hollers. BR 10540. by Cynthia Voigt. 1 volume. One morning Tish warns her stepfather, Tonnie, that she is carrying a knife at all times. Her mother ignores the conversation. As Tish walks to school with the knife tucked in her boot, she thinks about Miranda, the classmate who hanged herself last week. Tish knows she and Miranda shared the same problem, but Tish doesn't want to die. Some strong language. For high school and older readers. 1994. BR 10540. ## Blood Dance. BR 10545. by James William Brown. 2 volumes. On an isolated Greek island, the village is steeped in tradition and gossip of the past and present. Amalia is a young, strong-willed woman who wants desperately to escape the island's hold, but the ties are powerful. The story is told several times by different people, and each telling has its own link to the past. The author is American, but lived in Greece for ten years. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 1993. BR 10545. ## _Bone by Bone_: Stories. BR 10549. by Gary Krist. 2 volumes. Collection of thirteen short stories whose characters are middle-class Americans. In the title story, a woman cuts herself off from the outside world and retreats into insanity. In "Baggage," a young man reflects on his insensitivity in leaving his girlfriend, who uses a wheelchair. "Eclipse" relates a divorced father's outing with his sons to watch a solar eclipse. Some strong language. 1994. BR 10549. ## Alphabetical Africa. BR 10553. by Walter Abish. 1 volume. A unique telling of a mystery tale. Alex, Allen, and Alva arrive in Antibes in the first chapter, which consists only of words beginning with the letter "a." Each chapter progresses a letter, until the story reaches Zambia and Zanzibar. Each subsequent chapter deletes a letter until "Africa another alphabet." In the process, a murder mystery punctuated with kinky sex is solved. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1974. BR 10553. ## The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes. BR 10559. by Arthur Conan Doyle. 3 volumes. Originally published in 1927, this was Doyle's last collection of stories featuring Sherlock Holmes. The twelve cases include "The Illustrious Client," "The Veiled Lodger," and "Thor Bridge." Includes an introduction by editor W.W. Robson and Doyle's chronology. 1993. BR 10559. ## ### _Books for Children_ 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. ### _Nonfiction_ 175 Amazing Nature Experiments. BR 9938. by Rosie Harlow and Gareth Morgan. 3 volumes. Activities, projects, experiments, games, and crafts to investigate how nature works. Most suggestions need only common materials to help one discover how things grow; learn about small creatures, trees, and leaves; and find out why the seasons change. For grades 3-6. 1991. BR 9938. ## Listen for the Bus: David's Story. BR 10021. by Patricia McMahon. 1 volume. It's David's first day of kindergarten at the public school. With the help of his teacher and classmates, David, who is blind and has a hearing impairment, finds his classroom and participates in all the activities. After school, David does more things that are fun, like horseback riding. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades 2-4. 1995. BR 10021. ## What Do Authors Do?. BR 10023. by Eileen Christelow. 1 volume. Authors get ideas for their books at strange moments and in unusual places. Rufus, a dog, and Max, a cat, are each owned by an author. Follow Rufus and Max as they each watch and inspire their masters with an idea for a book and see it through to publication. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 1995. BR 10023. ## Ezra Jack Keats: A Biography with Illustrations. BR 10024. by Dean Engel and Florence B. Freedman. 1 volume. As a small boy in Brooklyn, Ezra Keats loves to draw. His father objects, afraid Ezra will become a starving artist. When his father dies, Ezra must give up an art scholarship to support the family. He keeps painting, though, and is a success with children's books. One he writes and illustrates, _The Snowy Day (BR 4677)_, wins the Caldecott award in 1962. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades 3-6. 1995. BR 10024. ## The Book of North American Owls. BR 10475. by Helen Roney Sattler. 1 volume. The large eyes of an owl take up more space in the owl's head than its thimble-sized brain. Because owls can't roll their tube-shaped eyes, their necks are extremely flexible, allowing them to turn their heads backwards or upside down. Humans are the main enemies of owls. The author discusses these and other facts about owls and describes members of the two owl families. For grades 4-7. 1995. BR 10475. ## Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from Slavery to Freedom. BR 10492. by Virginia Hamilton. 1 volume. Collection of sketches tracing the history of African Americans from the earliest days of slavery to the Emancipation Proclamation. Relates the lives of Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, a prince born in Africa, and other African Americans who struggled for freedom, including Elizabeth Freeman, Nat Turner, Sojourner Truth, Dred Scott, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass. For grades 4-7 and older readers. 1993. BR 10492. ## The Hidden Life of the Desert. BR 10629. by Thomas Wiewandt. 1 volume. Description of how plants and animals have learned to live within the limits of the five seasons of the northern part of the Sonoran Desert in the American Southwest. Creosote, saguaro cactus, paloverde, and century plants provide food and shelter for rodents, insects, lizards, toads, coyotes, and bighorn sheep. For grades 4-7. 1990. BR 10629. ## Cowgirl Dreams: A Western Childhood. BR 10632. by Jennifer Owings Dewey. 1 volume. The author tells of growing up on her architect father's New Mexico ranch in the 1950s. Her father is often angry and doesn't understand, but ranch foreman Bill helps her learn about life and raise Jerome, a pig who is the runt of the litter. For grades 4-7. 1995. BR 10632. ## ### _Fiction_ 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. BR 10013. ## 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. BR 10019. ## 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. BR 10020. ## 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. BR 10022. ## 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. BR 10484. ## 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. BR 10495. ## 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. BR 10497. ## 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. BR 10500. ## 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. BR 10501. ## 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. BR 10502. ## 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. BR 10505. ## 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. BR 10519. ## 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. BR 10523. ## 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. BR 10532. ## 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. BR 10537. ## 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. BR 10552. ## 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. BR 10554. ## 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. BR 10555. ## 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. BR 10558. ## 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. BR 10560. ## 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. BR 10566. ## 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. BR 10574. ## 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. BR 10630. ## 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. BR 10631. ## 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. BR 10643. ## 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. BR 10644. ## ### _Braille Magazines_ The following is a list of braille magazines in the Library of Congress program. Readers may obtain free personal subscriptions to these magazines. For information on the availability of specific magazines, consult the library that sends you braille materials. Asimov's Science Fiction (monthly plus mid-December) Better Homes and Gardens (monthly) Boys' Life (for children and teens, monthly) Braille Book Review (bimonthly) Braille Chess Magazine (British quarterly) Braille Journal of Physiotherapy (British monthly) Braille Music Magazine (British monthly) Braille Variety News (monthly) Children's Digest (for children, 8 issues) Consumers' Research (monthly) Cooking Light (bimonthly [3] and monthly [6]) Fortune (biweekly plus specials) Inside Sports (monthly) Jack and Jill (for children, 8 issues) Journal of Rehabilitation (quarterly) Ladies' Home Journal (monthly) Madam (British monthly) The Musical Mainstream (quarterly) National Geographic (monthly) New Beacon (British monthly) The _New York Times_ Large Type Weekly (weekly) News (NLS quarterly) Parenting (monthly except January and July) PC/Computing (monthly) Playboy (monthly) Poetry (monthly) Popular Communications (monthly) Popular Mechanics (monthly) Popular Music Lead Sheets (irregular) Progress (British monthly) Science News (weekly) Seventeen (for teens, monthly) Update (NLS quarterly) The _Washington Post_ Book World (weekly) The following sports schedules are also available: American Baseball League Schedule National Baseball League Schedule National Basketball Association Schedule National Football League Schedule National Hockey League Schedule