Noe Valley Voice December-January 1998-99
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More Books to Read

You can learn ways to train a dog or be a dancer by checking out two of the latest offerings at the Noe Valley Library at 451 Jersey St. In addition to books, the library has magazines, CDs, an index to the Noe Valley Voice, computer terminals, and a fish tank filled with quiet but friendly fish. When you drop by, say hi to librarians Roberta Greifer and Carol Small, and thank them for their monthly tips in the Voice. Branch hours are Tuesdays, 10 to 9; Wednesdays, 1 to 9; Thursdays, 10 to 6; Fridays, 1 to 6; or Saturdays, noon to 6. Phone: 695-5095.

Adult Fiction

- A surreal short story collection, Gates of Eden, by filmmaker Ethan Coen, features a one-eared private investigator, a blackmail scheme, and two rival mobsters.

- The Love of a Good Woman, by Alice Munro, the popular Canadian author, contains eight of her newest short stories.

- Set in what is now New York and Ontario, People of the Masks, by archaeologists Kathleen and Michael Gear, presents us with a tale of greed and power involving the Iroquois Indian tribe.

Adult Nonfiction

- The Booklover's Guide to the Internet, by Evan Morris, is an accessible non-technical guide to online books, magazines, libraries, and bookstores.

- King of the World, by Pulitzer Prize ­ winner David Rennick, portrays prizefighter Mohammad Ali.

- The Woman Who Gave Birth to Her Mother, by Kim Chernin, explores the relationship that evolves between mother and daughter and how it changes as the daughter matures.

- Uncle Matty's Ultimate Guide to Dog Training, by Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis of PBS fame, takes a humorous approach to bonding with your dog.

Annotations by Roberta Greifer

Children's Fiction

- In Arctic Son, Jean George describes how her growing grandson in Barrow, Alaska, learns about the Eskimo community where he and his parents live. Ages 4 to 6.

- Although Janet is delighted to go to her aunt's busy and highly organized house, she also learns to value her own, which in some ways is very different, in Clouds for Dinner, by Lynne Rae Perkins. Ages 4 to 7.

- A young girl hears music in the sounds of Venice and inspires the writing of a wonderful symphony in Gabriella's Song, by Candace Fleming. Ages 5 to 8.

- A second-grader suffers after hearing some remarks made by his teacher -- until he clears up the misunderstanding and feels much better in Suzy Kline's Marvin and the Mean Words. Ages 6 to 8.

- The poetry of Alma Flor Ada contains description and appreciation of Hispanic farmworkers' lives in Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English, with illustrations by Simon Silva. Ages 5 to 8.

- A 12-year-old girl uses her intelligence and motivation to change her life in Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, written recently, in the form of a diary, by Patricia McKissack. Ages 10 and up.

Children's Nonfiction

- Ronnie Krauss' Take a Look, It's in a Book: How Television Is Made at Reading Rainbow, shows the behind-the-scenes work involved in creating an episode of the popular TV series. Ages 5 to 8.

- In I Want To Be a Dancer, Stephanie Maze and Catherine O'Neill Grace use informative text and beautiful photographs to introduce the reader to many facets of the world of dance -- ballet, ballroom dancing, "high tech dance," and many more. Ages 8 and up.

Annotations by Carol Small

Infant and Toddler Lapsit

- Children's Librarian Carol Small leads the rhymes and lullabies at the Wednesday evening lapsits, which kick off at 7 p.m. on Dec. 2, 9, and 16, and Jan. 6, 13, 20, and 27.

Preschool Story Time

- Kids in the 3 to 5 age bracket are especially invited to preschool story time. It's 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, Dec. 1 and 15, and Jan. 5, 12, and 19.

Films for Kids

- The library will show films for children
ages 3 to 5 on Tuesdays, Dec. 8 and Jan. 26, at both 10 and 11 a.m.