|
 This year our list includes CDs and DVDs in addition to books for adults and children. If you have questions or need more suggestions, just Ask Us!
Books for Adults:
The vast majority of suggested books for adults are nonfiction, arranged in topic order. The exceptions are listed at the end of this section and noted as FICTION.
Webster’s New World Large Print Dictionary.
For the aging eye, dictionaries and thesauri in large print are invaluable! This is available in hardcover and paperback.
 The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, Timothy Keller.
Check our catalog
Presbyterian pastor Keller examines one of Jesus’ most familiar parables and challenges believers (and others) to take another look at modern Christianity.
 Have a Little Faith: A True Story, Mitch Albom.
Check our catalog
Some predict Albom’s search to learn about faith will be a classic. With the honesty and forthrightness that readers have come to expect of him, Albom examines the role that faith plays in our lives.
 Cockeyed: A Memoir, Ryan Knighton.
Check our catalog
Knighton lost his vision during his teen years and tells what it was like to come-of-age and go blind, at essentially the same time. This inspiring memoir is suitable for adults and young adults.
Feeding Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Program for Healthy, Safe Nutrition During Pregnancy, Childhood, and Beyond, Alan R. Greene.
 Check our catalog
The author of Raising Baby Green offers eco-conscious and healthy food choices for earth friendly parents.
Organic Kitchen Garden, Juliet Roberts.
 Check our catalog
This book has beautiful and informative photographs from an 18th century walled kitchen garden in England. Gardeners will find lots of good advice from that garden’s Head Kitchen Gardener. Both serious beginners and experienced gardeners will find this book useful.
Perennials for Illinois, William Aldrich.
 Check our catalog
You know, it’s never too soon to plan for spring. Aldrich provides over 500 Illinois-suitable perennials to chose from for optimal gardening success.
Prehistoric Life.
 Check our catalog
This beautiful book is an oversized, full-color collection of life recreated from fossils.
The Cook’s Country Cookbook: Regional and Heirloom Favorites Tested and Reimagined for Today’s Home Cooks.
 Check our catalog
From the editors of Cook’s Country Magazine and America’s Test Kitchen, what’s not to like?
So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, Ellie Krieger.
 Check our catalog
Fast and healthy food - Krieger has strategies and recipes for the out-the-door breakfast, pack-and-go lunch, and rush-hour dinner.
The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions, Katie Lee.
 Check our catalog
It’s all about entertaining friends and enjoying good food. Lee uses her Southern hospitality and home-cooked style to create full menus for all types of celebrations.
The Splendid Table’s, How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio’s Award-Winning Food Show, Lynne Rossetto Kasper.
 Check our catalog
Kasper and co-author Sally Swift have put together a cookbook with great recipes and solid practical tips.
My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method, Jim Lahey.
 Check our catalog
All kinds of bread for the kneading-challenged.
BabyCakes: Vegan, (Mostly) Gluten-Free, and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked-About Bakery, Erin McKenna.
 Check our catalog
The person in your life with food allergies or vegan preferences will be thrilled to sample McKenna’s baking techniques and recipes at home.
Gourmet Today: More than 1000 All-New Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen, edited by Ruth Reichl.
 Check our catalog
Boo hoo for the demise of Gourmet magazine! The new cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl will help to fill the void.
The Silver Spoon: Pasta.
Check our catalog
Recipes for classic Italian pasta dishes published in English for the first time. Beautiful photographs and illustrations are included in simple and accessible format.
Spain…A Culinary Road Trip, Mario Batali.
 Check our catalog
This features superstars and foodies on a road trip, discovering Spain’s history, culture, and cuisine. Batali is joined by Mark Bittman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols.
The Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes, Duff Goldman.
 Check our catalog
Celebrating baking as well as the Charm City Cakes bakery, Goldman reveals techniques, tools, and delicious (or disastrous) experiments from his Baltimore bakery.
Hello, Cupcake!
 Check our catalog
Karen Tack and Alan Richardson have put together this absolute must-have cookbook for the cupcake baker. It’s very inventive and there are few supplies to purchase.
Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year, Julia M. Usher.
 Check our catalog
Loads of imaginative baking projects that make great gifts.
Travels to the Edge: A Photo Odyssey, Art Wolfe.
 Check our catalog
Wolfe’s book will inspire adventurous explorers and amateur travel photographers and delight the armchair traveler.
Off the Tourist Trail: 1,000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives.
 Check our catalog
Some travelers want to see those fabulous world sights sans crowds. This photographic gem takes the well-known tourist destination and offers alternatives in a unique and dazzling presentation.
A. Lincoln: A Biography, Ronald C. White.
 Check our catalog
During Lincoln’s bicentennial celebration year, this biography was highly recommended and in demand.
FICTION: Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable, Mark Dunn.
 Check our catalog
This is a fun, clever, and lighthearted read that will appeal to adults and young adults who love language and puzzles.
FICTION: The Original of Laura (Dying is Fun), Vladimir Nabokov.
 Check our catalog
Nabokov’s heirs did not follow his instructions to burn the rough draft of this work upon his death in 1977 and son Dmitri has released Nabokov’s original index cards along with the text.
Picture Books for Young Children:
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Judi Barrett.
 Check our catalog
The movie that came out this year was based on this picture book published in 1982. The DVD is scheduled for January release; all ages.
And the Train Goes…., William Bee.
 Check our catalog
Some children (and their significant adults) cannot get enough great train books. This picture book would fit right into the collection; ages 4-8.
Pigs Love Potatoes, Anika Denise.
 Check our catalog
This funny rhyming, counting book is perfect for the very young. It’s also a warm family story; ages 3-6.
Over in the Meadow, Ezra Jack Keats.
 Check our catalog
Keats presents stunning illustrations to go along with the classic nursery counting rhyme, for ages 4-8.
Bats in the Library, Brian Lies.
 Check our catalog
Brian and his bats are back to celebrate libraries and reading. This companion to Bats at the Beach has rhyme and humor and lots of bat fun; ages 4-8.
Splat the Cat, Rob Scotton.
 Check our catalog
Splat is worried about the first day of Cat School, so he brings along his best friend, a mouse. Hilarity ensues; ages 4-8.
Books for Elementary School Readers
Orangutan Tongs: Poems to Tangle Your Tongue, Jon Agee.
 Check our catalog
Kids and adults can have read out loud fun with this book of tongue twisting poems. This picture book is recommended for ages 6-10.
Butterflies and Moths, Nic Bishop.
 Check our catalog
The latest in Bishop’s series about the natural world offers simple text and fabulous photography; ages 6-10.
The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West, Sid Fleischman.
 Check our catalog
This spirited biography of Samuel Clemens tells of his varied adventures (steamboat pilot and prospector among them) and includes photographs, cartoons, and other illustrations; ages 9-12.
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11, Brian Floca.
 Check our catalog
It was over 40 years ago when man first landed on the moon. Floca commemorates the first moon landing with poetic text, interesting facts, and exceptional artwork; ages 7-10.
Books for Middle School Students & Older
The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman.
 Check our catalog
An unwitting toddler escapes his would-be killers by climbing out of his crib and into the nearby cemetery. There he is sheltered by an unusual cast of characters. Winner of the Newberry Prize, Graveyard is for ages 10 or 11 and up.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, Jeff Kinney.
 Check our catalog
This book is number four in a series that’s very popular with middle school boys; ages 9-12.
Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, Rodman Philbrick.
 Check our catalog
After his brother is pressed to join the Union Army, Homer runs away from home to follow him. Set during the Civil War, Philbrick incorporates history, tall tales, and humor in this novel; ages 9-12.
The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan.
 Check our catalog
In this first of Riordan’s series, Percy finds out he’s the son of Poseidon, accidentally vaporizes his algebra teacher, and that’s just the beginning of his adventure. It’s fast-paced and funny, sort of a hipper Harry Potter; ages 9-12.
When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead.
 Check our catalog
Miranda is in sixth grade, living in New York City with her mother in 1978. Reality and fantasy blend in this unusual mystery; ages 9-12.
Books for Teens & Young Adult
A Curse Dark as Gold, Elizabeth C. Bunce.
 Check our catalog
Historical novel with a bit of fantasy, this young adult novel is set in England during the late 1700s. There are elements of witchcraft, ghosts, and a new take on the Rumplestiltskin tale; ages 13 & up.
Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins.
 Check our catalog
Children are chosen each year to compete in the Hunger Games where they must eliminate rivals. This is the first in a trilogy that is VERY popular with teens. The second in the series, Catching Fire, was published in September; ages 13 & up.
Here Lies Arthur, Philip Reeve.
 Check our catalog
This is a different, fresh take on the Arthurian legend and will provoke those familiar with the story to look at Arthur in a new way. The story, for young adults 8th grade and up, is told from the point of view of the girl Gwyna; ages 13 & up.
CDs & DVDs:
CD: Crazy Love, Michael Bublé.
 Check our catalog
Crazy good!
CD: The List,Rosanne Cash.
Check our catalog
In 1973 Johnny Cash compiled a list of 100 essential songs his daughter needed to know to pursue a career singing country music. Rosanne and friends perform 12 songs from “the list” on this fine CD.
CD: Bach, Hélène Grimaud.
 Check our catalog
Put this CD in when your ears need a rest from all the news and the noise of the chaotic world around us. I put this CD in, press continuous play, and am happy for hours.
CD: Song Up in Her Head, Sarah Jarosz.
Check our catalog
This debut CD is delightful! It’s folk/bluegrass/country/rock. The contemporary songs have a classic folk feel.
DVD: Cavalia.
 Check our catalog
“I think any horse lover would appreciate a copy of the DVD Cavalia. I saw the show, and was pleasantly surprised that the DVD captured so much of the actual performance.” Visit the Cavalia Boutique online to purchase.
DVD: Julie & Julia
 Check our catalog
Sweet, funny, and touching and believe it or not, Meryl Streep outdoes herself portraying Julia Child. For the budding chef on your list, you might purchase My Life in France by Julia Child, Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell, and/or a Julia Child cookbook. PG-13
DVD: The National Parks: America’s Best Idea
Check our catalog
Would be a great gift for anyone interested in the history of the park system. Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns have also published a superb book by the same name, a companion to the PBS TV series.
DVD: Planet Earth
Check our catalog
Arguably the best nature documentary ever produced. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough with a gorgeous score by George Fenton, you’ll be amazed by the wonders of our planet and her creatures. The short behind the scenes footage showing how they filmed various segments is fascinating.
DVD: Shaun of the Dead
Check our catalog
Readily available zombie flick, a good choice for the Zombieland enthusiast on your gift list. The setting is London, the actors include Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the zombies are h-u-n-g-r-y, and this movie is hilarious. R
DVD: Star Trek.
Check our catalog
Lots of fun and adventure for the Star Trek fans, who will appreciate finding this DVD under the Christmas tree. PG-13
DVD: Up
 Check our catalog
Kids, elders, parents all can find something to enjoy in this movie from Pixar. Follow the adventures of Carl and Russell as they search for Paradise Falls. PG
|
Home | Catalog | My Account | Ask Us 
Similar Booklists:
SCPL Booklists
Print this page
630-584-0076, x214
