Noe Valley Voice June 2004
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Books in our Branch

This month's book list, chosen by Noe Valley librarians Carol Small and Wayne Donica, features an anthology of Yiddish stories, an exposé of secret medical experimentation, and the story of the high-wire artist who walked between the Twin Towers. To find out which selections are available, call 695-5095, log onto www.sfpl.org, or visit the Noe Valley­Sally Brunn Library at 451 Jersey Street near Castro Street. Besides books, the library offers magazines, newspapers, DVDs, music CDs, Internet access, and the archives and index to the Noe Valley Voice. 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

- The lives of Jewish women in the early 20th century are chronicled in Beautiful as the Moon, Radiant as the Stars, an anthology of 22 Yiddish stories edited by Sandra Bark.

- In the World War II Holocaust novel Fires in the Dark, by Louise Doughty, a Roma Gypsy family is incarcerated in a Moravian labor camp, then sent to Auschwitz.

- Author and Catholic priest Andrew Greeley tells the story of young Father Hoffman, who goes up against a powerful archbishop to end the coverup of sexual abuse within the church, in The Priestly Sins.

- In the epic tale True North, by Jim Harrison, a young man attempts to provide moral recompense for the ecological sins of his timber baron ancestors.

Adult Nonfiction

- Andrew Goliszek's In the Name of Science is a history of secret programs, medical research, and human experimentation conducted by the U.S. government and others.

- In The New Brain, Richard Restak contends that the pressures of today's complex world overstimulate our brains and can lead to ADD and other conditions.

- Suzanne Somers offers an overview of her experience with hormone replacement therapy during menopause in The Sexy Years.

- Nicholas and Micah Sparks take a trip around the world and visit Mayan and Inca ruins, Ethiopian rock cathedrals, and the Cambodian killing fields, in Three Weeks with My Brother.

Children's Fiction

- In Little Monkey Says Good Night, author Ann Whitford Paul and illustrator David Walker describe a long bedtime ritual at the circus. Ages 3 to 5.

- In Jim Aylesworth's mostly traditional retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, illustrator Barbara McClintock makes Goldilocks especially expressive. Ages 3 to 6.

- Although at first Amanda Pig is teased by her brother, her whole family helps her overcome her nighttime fears in Amanda Pig and the Awful, Scary Monster, by Jean Van Leeuwen, illustrated by Ann Schweninger. Ages 5 to 7.

- When the Twin Towers were still standing, one morning Philippe Petit spent an hour walking, dancing, and doing tricks on a high wire strung between them, described in The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, who was awarded the Caldecott Medal for this book. Ages 5 to 8.

- An unusual mouse, banished to a dark dungeon, figures out how to rescue a beautiful princess, in Kate DiCamillo's 2004 Newbery Medal winner, The Tale of Despereaux, wtih illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering. Ages 10 and up.

Children's Nonfiction

- With clearly written text and bright acrylic illustrations, All About Sharks, by Jim Arnosky, explains the habits, anatomy, and characteristics of various sharks, and also includes safety tips. Ages 6 to 9.

- In Mack Made Movies, author/illustrator Don Brown describes the career of Mack Sennett, whose silent comedy films launched the careers of Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle, and others. Ages 6 to 9.

- If you are going camping and want to know more about tents, animal tracking, campfires, and rainy-day activities, be sure to consult Follow the Trail: A Young Person's Guide to the Great Outdoors by Jessica Loy. Ages 6 to 10.

LIBRARY EVENTS

Magic for Preschoolers

- Heather Roberts the Magician will perform magic, comedy, and juggling, with audience participation and free magic tricks for every child, at 10 and 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 3.

Stories and Films for Children

- Kids 2 to 5 are invited to attend preschool story time at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, June 22 and 29. Meanwhile, older children (3 to 5) can come watch short films, including Danny and the Dinosaur, Hen Hop, and El Alfabeto, at 10 and 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 1.

Saturday Lapsits

- Share stories, songs, and fingerplays with your baby or toddler at the library's lapsits at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 26.