Favorite Reads of 2010 . . . So Far

Last week we asked our Facebook fans what their favorite book has been that they've read so far in 2010 - Here are the responses we got:

Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder By Skye, Obert 2009-09 - Shadow Mountain 9781606411469 CHECK CATALOG The fifth installment of Skye's Leven Thumps series. …More

Sizzle By Garwood, Julie 2009-12 - Ballantine Books 9780345500779 CHECK CATALOG "New York Times"-bestselling author Garwood weaves magnificent stories of passion, adventure, and intrigue. Now she raises the heat and spices up the action with a sexy, smart, daring new heroine and a smoldering thriller. …More

Catching Fire By Collins, Suzanne 2009-09 - Scholastic Press 9780439023498 CHECK CATALOG New York Times bestselling author Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen, in this second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy. …More

Incarceron By Fisher, Catherine 2010-01 - Dial Books 9780803733961 CHECK CATALOG BookPage Notable Title Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells, but also metal forests, dilapidated cities, and vast wilderness. Finn, a 17-year-old prisoner, has no memory of his childhood and is sure that he came from Outside Incarceron. And then Finn finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with a girl who claims to live on the Outside. …More

The Angel's Game By Ruiz Zafon, Carlos 2009-06 - Doubleday Books 9780385528702 CHECK CATALOG From the author of the international phenomenon "The Shadow of the Wind" comes "The Angel's Game" comes a new page-turner about the perilous nature of obsession, in literature and in love. Through a dizzingly constructed labyrinth of secrets, the magic of books, passion, and friendship blend into a masterful story. …More

What's been your favorite so far?

Thanksgiving Reads

Run, Turkey, Run! By Mayr, Diane Illustrator Rader, Laura 2007-09 - Walker & Company 9780802796301 CHECK CATALOG With Thanksgiving only one day away, can Turkey find a place to hide from the farmer whos looking for a plump bird for his family feast? Maybe he can hide with the pigs . . . or the ducks . . . or the horses. This twist on the traditional Thanksgiving feast features a hilarious surprise ending. Full color. …More

Thanksgiving on Thursday By Osborne, Mary Pope Illustrator Murdocca, Salvatore 2002-09 - Random House Books for Young Readers 0375806156 CHECK CATALOG The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to the eve of the first Thanksgiving. There they meet the Pilgrims as well as Squanto, a Native American who helped them. The story offers an age-appropriate, in-depth picture of what life was really like for early settlers, as well as the usual Magic Tree House adventure and excitement. …More

1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving By Grace, Catherine O'Neill Author Grace Joint Author Bruchac, Margaret M. 2001-09 - National Geographic Society 0792270274 CHECK CATALOG CCBC Choices - 2002 This book presents the real facts of the origins of Thanksgiving with a balanced English and Native American perspective, and features a reenactment by the Plimoth Plantation of the 1621 harvest. Full-color photos. …More

The Thanksgiving Visitor By Capote, Truman Illustrator Peck, Beth 1996-09 - Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers 9780679838982 CHECK CATALOG Another masterpiece by the great American writer, Truman Capote, is brought to an audience of all ages. Buddy and his closest friend, his eccentric elderly cousin, Miss Sook--the memorable characters from Capote's A Christmas Memory--love preparing their old country house for Thanksgiving. But this year, there's trouble in the air. Full color illustrations. …More

Thanks for Nothing [With Glitter Tattoo] By Dower, Laura 2001-11 - Volo 9780786815579 CHECK CATALOG It's the first Thanksgiving since Madison's parents split up and she feels stuck in the middle. It just may turn out that she has a lot for which to be thankful. Illustrations. …More

This First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story By Melmed, Laura Krauss Illustrator Buehner, Mark 2001-09 - HarperCollins 068814554X CHECK CATALOG Exuberant verse and vibrant illustrations bring pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians to life in this unique and colorful story. Illustrations. …More

The Story of Thanksgiving By Bartlett, Robert Merrill Illustrator Comport, Sally Wern 2001-09 - HarperCollins Publishers 0060287799 CHECK CATALOG Turkey and cranberry sauce. Pumpkin pie. Family and friends around the table. That's what Thanksgiving means to us today. But has it always been this way?Everyone knows that in 1621 the English Pilgrims and the Native American Wampanoags gathered together for a feast. But do you know what they ate and what games they played? And do you know how George Washington and Abraham Lincoln helped make Thanksgiving into the holiday that we know today?From ancient Greece to medieval England to colonial America, people all over the world have celebrated their good fortune at harvesttime. Find out how their traditions have contributed to our modern Thanksgiving. And try your hand at making some delicious pumpkin muffins for your Thanksgiving table! …More

Thank You, Thanksgiving By Milgrim, David 2003-08 - Clarion Books 0618274669 CHECK CATALOG In this exuberant Thanksgiving story, a little girl goes on a last-minute errand for her mother. Along the way, she gives thanks for all the familiar things she loves. Full color. …More

Thanksgiving By Evanovich, Janet 2006-11 - HarperTorch 9780060598808 CHECK CATALOG Megan had wept over one failed love, and it hurt to risk again. But being with Dr. Patrick Hunter, making Thanksgiving dinner for their families, filled her with such longing that Megan began to suspect that the doctor who kissed her breathless could heal her scars. …More

Dearest Dorothy, Who Would Have Ever Thought?! By Baumbich, Charlene Ann 2005-08 - Penguin Books 9780143036197 CHECK CATALOG Dearest Dorothy fans will spend a magical Thanksgiving with the residents of Partonville. …More

The First Thanksgiving By Santella, Andrew 2003-03 - Children's Press(CT) 0516242040 CHECK CATALOG This series meets National Curriculum Standards for: Social Studies: Civic Ideals & Practices Individuals, Groups, & Institutions People, Places, & Environments Power, Authority, & Governance Science, Technology, & Society Time, Continuity, & Change …More

The Thanksgiving Day Murder By Harris, Lee 1995-09 - Fawcett Books 0449149234 CHECK CATALOG This is the sixth delightful holiday mystery featuring the ex-nun who's all sleuth. More than a year ago Natalie Gordon went to buy a balloon at the Thanksgiving Day Parade and dissolved into thin air. When Natalie's despairing husband pleads with Christine Bennett to help, she can't say no. But why does the man know so little about his own wife. …More

Kit Learns a Lesson: A School Story, 1934 By Tripp, Valerie Illustrator Rane, Walter 2000-09 - American Girl Publishing Inc 158485121X CHECK CATALOG Millions of girls have been waiting for the debut of the newest American Girl -- and now she's here! Kit Kittredge is a nine-year-old girl growing up during the 1930s, a time when banks failed, people lost their money, and families struggled -- but Americans opened their hearts and helped each other. When the hard times hit home, Kit responds with spirit and determination to help her family face the challenges the Depression brings to their lives. Kit hopes her father will find a new job soon so that things can return to the way they were before -- with no boarders in the house and no long list of daily chores. But a visit to a soup kitchen brings a shock -- and shows Kit just how much the Depression has changed everything. …More

The Candy Corn Contest By Giff, Patricia Reilly Illustrator Sims, Blanche 1984-01 - Yearling Books 044041072X CHECK CATALOG It's almost Thanksgiving, and Richard Best can't stop thinking about Ms. Rooney's Candy Corn contest. Whoever can guess the exact number of yellow-and-orange candies in the jar on Ms. Roney's desk gets to keep them all. The only problem is Richard has to read a page in a library book for each guess. Smelly Matthew, who sits in front of him, knows they'll never win. "We're the worst readers in the class," he says. But Richard won't give up. He can already taste those Candy Corns. And before he knows it, he has. Three fat juicy ones. What will Ms. Rooney do when she finds out? …More

Turkey Day Murder By Meier, Leslie Producer Kensington 2000-10 - Kensington Publishing Corporation 1575666057 CHECK CATALOG Tinker's Cove has a long history of Thanksgiving festivities, but this year, someone has added murder to the menu, and Lucy intends to discover who left Metinnicut Indian activities Curt Nolar deader than the proverbial Thanksgiving turkey. …More

Harvest of Murder By Ripley, Ann 2002-09 - Kensington Publishing Corporation 1575667762 CHECK CATALOG To escape the madness of Thanksgiving, Louise Eldridge--wife, mother, and television gardening show host--shares dog-walks with eccentric biologist Dr. Peter Whiting. However, she soon finds his slashed body in the woods near her home. When she's invited by Dr. Whiting's widow only a week later to help complete her husband's plant experiments, Louise feels she's getting into something more sinister. …More

Sins Out of School By Dams, Jeanne M. 2003-11 - Worldwide Library 0373264747 CHECK CATALOG Dorothy takes in schoolteacher Amanda Doyle's daughter for Thanksgiving dinner when the father turns up dead and Amanda is the prime suspect. Soon, Dorothy is swept up into the mystery, leading her to secrets and lies. …More

Thanksgiving Day By Rockwell, Anne F. Illustrator Rockwell, Lizzy 2002-09 - HarperTrophy 0064437892 CHECK CATALOG The winning mother-daughter team that created "Halloween Day, Show & Tell Day, " and "Valentine's Day" is back with a celebration of Thanksgiving history and the spirit of friendship. Full-color illustrations. …More

Dinosaurs' Thanksgiving By Donnelly, Liza 1995-10 - Scholastic 0590221957 CHECK CATALOG The creator of Dinosaurs' Halloween and Dinosaur Valentine invites beginning readers to the Dinosaurs' Thanksgiving, a deliciously funny fantasy that will keep kids coming back for more. Full-color illustrations. …More

The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin By Berenstain, Stan With Berenstain, Jan 1994-05 - Random House Books for Young Readers 0679808477 CHECK CATALOG The Bear family might not win the blue ribbon for their entry in the pumpkin contest during the annual Bear Country Thanksgiving Festival, but they do gain a new appreciation of the true spirit of the holiday and all they have to be thankful for. …More

If You Were at the First Thanksgiving By Kamma, Anne Illustrator Dodson, Bert 2001-10 - Scholastic Paperbacks 0439105668 CHECK CATALOG What was it like to be at the first Thanksgiving? How did Pilgrim children contribute to the feast? Written from a child's perspective, this illustrated book answers those questions and more. …More

What I'm Reading

It's been a pretty snowy month already and being snow bound, I've finished 3 books in the last week. Another staff member suggested I read "Nothing to Wear?" by Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo. It says it is a revolutionary method to discover your style type, edit your wardrobe to match, and will help you project your most confident, authentic self. I took the visual therapy style quiz and it appears that my style is Classical/Whimsical - which probably isn't a very good combination. The dominant styles were: Classic, Chic, Whimsical, Bohemian, or Avant-garde or any mix thereof. This book also gives suggestions for cleaning out your closet by asking these questions about each article of clothing in your closet: "Do I love it?", "Is it Flattering", "Does it represent me", "Why don't I reach for it?", and "Where will I "wear it".

I finished Amy Bloom's book "Away: a novel" in about 4 days. For some reason I can't quite put my finger on - I couldn't put the book down. It was a very fast read and it kept my interest piqued to know what was going to happen next. Lillian Leyb travels to America alone, hoping to create a new life for herself after losing her family back in Russia, but when she learns her daughter may be alive, Lillian embarks on a journey that takes her around the world in search of love and redemption. This book has quite a bit of sexual innuendo so it might not be for everyone.

Then I also finished "The book of general ignorance: everything you think you know is wrong" by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson. This is a nonfiction book revealing the truth behind all the things we think we know, but don't. It will leave you dumb-founded about all the misinformation you've managed to collect during your life. Such as: "Where is the driest place on earth?" - you'd probably think the Sahara, but its Antarctica because parts of the continent have seen no rain for two million years. Or, "What's the biggest thing a blue whale can sallow?" A very large mushroom? A small family car? A grapefruit? A Sailor - and the answer is - a grapefruit. The blue whale's throat is almost exactly the size of a salad plate. Or "What's the most dangerous animal that has ever lived?" and the answer is...... the female mosquito. Half the human beings who have ever died, perhaps as many as 45 billion people, have been killed by the female mosquito. The males only bite plants. Now who knew that... not me!

Susan