Donated from the teens (for which area it turned out to be too risque):
Nana by Ai Yazawa – “The all-time best-selling shojo title in Japan!”
How Mama Brought the Spring by Fran Manushkin. Illustrated by Holly Berry. In a book that’s been perfect for the weather of late, a young Chicago girl refuses to get out of bed until spring comes. Her sympathetic mother tells Rosy a story “with not a word left out” of when she herself felt the same way as a girl in Belarus. Her mother enticed her out of bed with a song and a mysterious project. Both involved a rare occurrence: having eggs and flour, butter, cheese, milk and sugar all at the same time. As they go on, the daughter still not knowing what they’re making, shawls come off inside and animals come out of their dens outside. With a pour, swirl, sizzle, FLIP golden circles line up on the blue tablecloth like sunflowers against a blue sky. Papa and daughter watch as Mama performs the last bit of magic, filling and rolling. Finally, the family sits down at the table to eat the delicious surprises (recipe included). The snow and bad moods have all melted away. Holly Berry’s beautiful watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are the perfect companion, using a modern folk style. Like Jan Brett’s, the borders tell a large part of the story, but here, they tilt and swirl with patterns blending, carrying the story from Chicago to Minsk and from winter to spring.
The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein Journalist Klein gives us a superbly researched history of modern economics that ranks among the most disturbing things I have ever read, on par with the literature I read for the Theology of the Holocaust class I took in college. Once again, reading a book that was dense and important makes for a long review, even leaving out lots of very important bits, so a cookie for anyone who makes it through. 
Gotham Central Vol 2: Half a Life by Greg Rucka. Illustrated by Michael Lark Renee Montoya is a detective working for Gotham’s police department. In this Eisner-award winning book, she monitors Two-Face in the aftermath of an earthquake, when his coin flips are suddenly all “good guy.” For those as in the dark as I was prior to reading this comic, Two-Face is an old-time villain who flips a coin when confronted with an ethical decision. Heads – he rescues the child from the collapsed building. Tails – he kills the child. You might imagine that such a person would not be one that you would want to notice you. The action heats up as a rapist who Renee caught is released and out for vengeance. Someone’s digging into Renee’s life looking for secrets, and boy, does she have things that she would rather not come out. Batman exists, but is not the focus. The shadowy artwork is perfect both for the grittiness of Gotham and Renee’s inner battles. This is a compelling story, and a rare comic featuring a minority female – with a career neither as a journalist nor a superhero.
Silver Sea by Meav I got lucky pulling random CDs out of the Irish music bin at the library. This was a solid album of traditional and modern songs. Meav has a light and flexible, if occasionally breathy voice. She opens with what sounded like the song of a mermaid living with her lover on land, and continued on with a surprisingly upbeat version of “Wicked Sister”, the murder of the beautiful younger sister accompanied by sparkling harp. There’s a lovely version of “Maid in Bedlam”, as well as some Gaelic songs that I recognized but didn’t know by name. (Yes, I listen in the car, so no looking up titles.) She’s a new artist to me, but if you like Celtic or folk music, I highly recommend her.
There’s No Place Like Here by Cecilia Ahern New popular Irish author Cecilia Ahern wins with another lightly thoughtful book. Tall and dark-haired Sandy Shortt has been obsessed with missing people ever since snotty Jenny-May from across the street went missing when they were 10. She’s spent her life helping people look for missing loved ones, but never felt particularly connected herself. Then, shortly before a meeting with a man whose brother has been missing for a year, she disappears herself. She finds herself in Here, the place where missing people and things go. For the first time in her life, there are plenty of people to whom Sandy feels connected, from hearing their family members talk about them, all of them eager to hear her news. But nothing ever goes missing in Here, and Sandy wants more than anything to go home again. The plot cuts back and forth between this story; Sandy’s growing up and subsequent relationship with the young school psychologist; and the efforts of her latest client to locate her, the one person he believes might help him reach closure over his brother. The message is obvious from the title of the book, but the characters are sweet and likeable, and the book makes for a fun read.
Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer Jack is a poor Saxon farm boy when the Bard chooses him to be his apprentice. He’s learning to pay close attention to everything and feel the Life Force. Then the Bard senses ships coming. A lone monk stumbles into the village from the Holy Isle, raving that berserkers destroyed the whole island, burning the books and killing the monks and nuns. This is the pebble in the pond. The villagers all hide, except for Jack’s little sister, Lucy. She is convinced that she is really a princess, and that the raiders are knights come to take her to the king and queen. Jack follows – and both of them are captives on the Northmen’s raiding ship. They are being taken back to the kingdom of Ivar the Boneless, whose half-troll wife, Frith, has been trying to kill the Bard. Lucy is intended as a gift for Frith, and Frith intends to sacrifice her to the goddess Freya. The only way for Jack to save her is to journey to Jotunheim, the Kingdom of Trolls. The great Olaf One-Brow and the ornery young shield maiden Thorgill, as well as a crow who found their ship in the middle of the ocean, come to help Jack on his quest. -
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