Readers > Booklists > Staff Picks > 2006 January–June
2006 January–June
In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin-
A destination guide like no other that details the history, geography and culture of Patagonia, Argentina, among other things. Chatwin is an economical master prose writer.
The Year of the Dog : A novel by Grace Lin-
A young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life.
Midnight at the Dragon Café by Judy Fong Bates-
Su-Jen Chou and her family leave China to seek a better life only to encounter new challenges as they try to fit into their adopted homeland while preserving their heritage. The Everybody Reads 2007 selection.
In My Heart by Molly Bang-
Parents describe how their child is always in their hearts, no matter where they are or what they are doing.
The Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny Brewer-
Told by his doctor that the would die within a year, Henry Stuart decided not to accept his fate and moved to Alabama. For the next twenty years visitors traveled to visit the wise Stuart, who named his ten-acre property after Leo Tolstoy. Henry Stuart was a real person and his unique home still exists is Fairhope, Alabama.
Color Me a Rhyme : nature poems for young people by Jane Yolen-
Colorful photographs can inspire poetry.
Why Things Break: Understanding the World by the Way It Comes Apart by Eberhart, Mark-
A description of fracture mechanics and how the scientific community works.
Just Listen: A Novel by Sarah Dessen-
Sixteen-year-old Annabel finds an ally in classmate Owen, whose honesty and passion for music help her to face a secret she's buried in her past.
Kaaterskill Falls by Allegra Goodman-
Set in the mid-1970s, this sweeping novel follows three Orthodox families over two eventful summers spent in the bucolic town where they retreat each June from the grittier confines of Washington Heights. Part of Let's Talk About It Jewish literature series.
The Notebook Girls : four friends, one diary, real life by Julia Baskin et. al.-
Four friends share their secrets through high school in this real diary.
Good Grief: a novel by Lolly Winston-
Sophie Stanton moves to Ashland, Oregon to begin her path through the grief of the death of her 30 year old husband.
The Pleasure of My Company: a novel by Steve Martin-
Daniel Cambridge has so many obsessions that he rarely leaves his Santa Monica apartment. He wins an essay contest for the most average American and must now triumph over his obsessions.
Plant This by Ketzel Levine-
Ketzel Levine, of NPR radio fame, was affectionately known as the 'Doyenne of Dirt' because of Talking Plants, her gardening talk show with Scott Simon. Here she describes the folklore surrounding different plants, and what they need to thrive in your garden.
- Good Grief: a novel by Lolly Winston
-
Sophie Stanton moves to Ashland, Oregon to begin her path through the grief of the death of her 30 year old husband.
Ursula Under by Ingrid Hill-
Ursula and her parents are on a picnic in the mining area of the Upper Peninsula, Michigan. Ursula sees a deer, chases it and falls down a mining shaft. As she waits for rescue, the story shifts to her Chinese and Finnish ancestors and how they connect to her.
The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands by Sneed B. Collard-
Join scientists as they work to rebuild the tallgrass prairie that once covered much of the Midwest.
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane-
In the summer of 1954 U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels comes to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Though he is charged with finding an escaped murderess, incidents at the hospital pull him deeper into a confusing and mysterious world.
The Silver Spoon of Solomon Snow by Kaye Umansky-
Solomon Snow, a foundling who was discovered with a distinctive silver spoon in his mouth, sets out to find his parents and receives help along the way from new friends.
The Centaur in the Garden by Moacyr Scliar-
Born half-human and half-horse to immigrants from Russia who staked out a new life in Brazil, Guedali Tartakovsky struggles with his identity. Part of Let's Talk About It Jewish literature series.
Big Sister, Little Sister by LeUyen Pham-
Each sister contributes to the family in her own way.
Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey-
Psychologist Pym interferes with the natural order of things to break up a cheating scheme she's uncovered at a girls' school where she's a visiting lecturer. It's an interference that results in death.
Roberto Celemente: pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates by Jonah Winter-
From winning two World Series to hitting a record 3,000 hits, Clemente's distinctions followed him off the field as well.
Zamba: The True Story of the Greatest Lion That Ever Lived by Ralph D. Helfer-
From celebrated Hollywood animal trainer Helfer comes the personal story of his loving relationship with a lion that he brought into his home as a small cub. Helfer and Zamba developed a bond that became the most important in Helfer's life.
Children of the Great Despression by Russell Freedman-
Learn how children lived, died, and survived during hard times.
100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon by William Sullivan-
The latest in the series of popular Northwest hiking books gives us a sense of the precious gift that is Oregon's wilderness. Meet the author.
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo-
The adventures of a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin. Meet the author.
Out of Egypt: a memoir by Andre Aciman-
Aciman's memoir is a rich and captivating portrait of a Jewish family from cosmopolitan Alexandria, Egypt. Part of Let's Talk About It Jewish Literature.
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair-
Sinclair's much-touted story of a teenage girl confronting racial prejudice while growing up on Chicago's South Side during the late 1960s.
That New Animal by Emily Jenkins-
The lives of two dogs change after a new animal, a baby, comes to their home.
Tilting at Windmills: A Novel of Cervantes and the Errant Knight by Julian Branston-
Cervantes is busy writing Don Quixote when he discovers that a jealous poet is scheming to make him a laughing stock. This is a humorous tale of knights, literary rivalry and thwarted love in the spirit of Cervantes masterpiece novel.
I, Coriander by Sally Gardner-
In 17th century London, Coriander, a girl who has inherited magic from her mother, must find a way to use this magic in order to save both herself and an inhabitant of the fairy world where her mother was born.
How to Rent a Negro by damali ayo-
A pseudo-guidebook and satirical look at race relations and the myriad ways that whites and blacks interact on a daily basis but fail to penetrate racial barriers. Meet the author.
The Journey That Saved Curious George by Louise Borden-
The story of how two artists escaped the Holocaust and went on to create the Curious George books.
FBI girl : how I learned to crack my father's code by Maura Conlon-McIvor-
Portland author Maura Conlon-McIvor describes growing up with her younger brother who has Downs Syndrome in an Irish Catholic family in California. Also published as She's all eyes : memoirs of an Irish-American daughter
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin-
After fifteen-year-old Liz Hall is hit by a taxi and killed, she finds herself in a place that is both like and unlike Earth, where she must adjust to her new status and figure out how to "live."
How I Paid for College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship and Musical Theater by Marc Acito-
Winner of the 2005 Oregon Book Award for the Novel depicts the "world of magic and mischief that is the domain of the Play People; the freaks and geeks who dress weird and sing show tunes in the halls." Meet the author.
Valentine Hearts: Holiday Poetry selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins-
Celebrate the holiday with special poems.
Dare to dream : Coretta Scott King and the civil rights movement by Angela Shelf Medearis-
From her childhood encounters with discrimination to her activism as an adult, Coretta Scott King dreamed of finding a place where people were treated equally. This compelling biography tells how she joined her husband, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to lead protest marches and stand up to prejudice and violence.
Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster by Michael Eric Dyson-
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, the "hip-hop intellectual," champions the issues plaguing the disenfranchised of America in Come Hell or High Water. In this book, Dr. Dyson examines what happened to the black poor in New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Readers will discover what Hurricane Katrina revealed about the fault lines of race and poverty in America.
Lost in translation: a life in a new language by Eva Hoffman-
In this intimate memoir, Polish immigrant Hoffman recalls her struggle to belong in an alien world, and the later challenges to her identity as a student in Texas and a writer in New York. Part of Let's Talk About It: Jewish Literature.
Snip snap! : what's that? by Mara Bergman-
Three siblings are frightened by the wide mouth, long teeth, and strong jaws of the alligator who has crept up the stairs--until they decide they have had enough. Illustrated by Nick Maland.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini-
Everybody Reads 2006 selection. The story of the friendship of two boys in war-torn Afghanistan.
Not the End of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean-
Noah's daughter, daughters-in-law, sons, wife, and the animals describe what it was like to be aboard the ark.
The Big Book of Boy Stuff by Bart King-
Activities!; Dumb directions on products!; Emergencies!; Experiments!; Fireworks and explosions!; Girls, bullies, and parties!; Man food for manhood!; Famous last words!... you get the drift. Meet the author at Writers Talking
Traction Man is Here! by Mini Grey-
Traction Man - wearing combat boots, battle pants, and his warfare shirt - comes in a box, but very quickly finds the way into the imagination of his lucky boy owner
An Open Book: Coming of Age in the Heartland by Michael Dirda-
Well written autobiography of a book lover and book reviewer for the Washington Post.
Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport-
A gorgeously illustrated biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. for young readers.
Good omens : the nice and accurate prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch : a novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett-
Hilarious send up of the Apocalypse prevented in a small English town.
Inkspell by Corneila Funke-
Get swept away in this engaging fantasy where characters can jump in and out of books.