February 2004 RETURN TO HOME PAGE FEEDBACK

This month's book list, chosen by Noe Valley librarians Carol Small and Wayne Donica, features an inside look at Howard Dean, an analysis of dishonesty in America, and the intimate diary of an earthworm. To find out which books are available, call 695-5095, log onto www.sfpl.org, or drop by the Noe Valley­Sally Brunn Library at 451 Jersey Street near Castro. Besides books, the library has magazines, videos, DVDs, music CDs, and the archives and index to the Noe Valley Voice. It also offers newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, a collection of books in Spanish, works about women's history, and a section on career resources. Branch hours are Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesdays, 1 to 9 p.m.; Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 1 to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Adult Fiction

- In Hollywood Divorces, Jackie Collins chronicles the lives of three glamorous women whose troubled and tangled marriages are headed for divorce. Although fictionalized, these characters are based on actual Hollywood superstars.

- Set in L.A. and San Diego, Some Kind of Miracle is Iris Rainer Dart's novel about two wouldbe songwriters who hold on to hope despite economic and emotional hardships.

- Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Drummond sails from Scotland to Australia to meet her husband-to-be, the rich but callous Alexander Kinross, in The Touch, Colleen McCullough's latest epic, set in the 19th century.

- Navajo grandmother Rose Destea encounters danger when she investigates the disappearance of medicinal plants used in religious ceremonies, in Plant Them Deep, a mystery by Aimee and David Thurlo.

Adult Nonfiction

- In The Cheating Culture, David Callahan tries to answer the question: Why are more and more Americans willing to lie and cheat to get ahead?

- Craighton Gee presents a compilation of little-known facts and historical events that have shaped the nation, in Notes on the State of America.

- Teens Under the Influence: The Truth About Kids, Alcohol, and Other Drugs, by Katherine Ketcham, is a primer for parents of teens who suffer from substance abuse.

- A team of Vermont reporters reviews Dean's record as governor in Howard Dean: A Citizens' Guide to the Man Who Would Be President.

Children's Fiction

- Suspense is sustained during the story, which ends with a happy holiday surprise, in Mouse's First Valentine, written by Lauren Thompson and illustrated by Buket Erdogan. Ages 2 to 4.

- An endearing little earthworm provides his view of the positive and negative aspects of life, in Diary of a Worm, written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Harry Bliss. Ages 3 to 5.

- Big Bubba has a wonderful day in town with his young child, then makes use of a tried-and-true technique when Beau doesn't want to go to sleep in Bubba and Beau Go Night-Night, written by Kathi Appelt and illustrated by Arthur Howard. Ages 4 to 6.

- In Isaac Millman's Moses Goes to the Circus, the fun of attending the circus is described in words, pictures, and American Sign Language, so you can learn several signs as you go through the book. Ages 4 to 7.

- Although the disappearance of the fuzzy dice from the bus causes a serious delay in the public transportation system, best friends Bunny Brown and Jack Jones solve the problem, in Cynthia Rylant's The High-Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Fidgety Fox, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Ages 5 to 8.

- To help make sense of her life, 12-year-old Ruby writes screenplays and decides her father is a secret CIA operative, in Theresa Nelson's Ruby Electric. Ages 10 and up.

Children's Nonfiction

- After a teacher makes an ordinary trip to the library, she and her students have an incredible field trip in Ms. Frizzle's Adventures: Medieval Castle, by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen. Ages 6 to 9.

- If you want to enrich your vocabulary, Loreen Leedy (author) and Pat Street (illustrator) can help! Just try a few expressions from their informative and entertaining book There's a Frog in My Throat! 440 Animal Sayings a Little Bird Told Me. Ages 6 to 9.

LIBRARY EVENTS

Stories and Films for Kids

- Children 2 and up are invited to attend preschool story time, 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, Feb. 3, 10, and 17. Meanwhile, kids a bit older (3 and up) can come watch short films, at 10 and 11 a.m., on Tuesday, Feb. 24.