New Non-Fiction

For the dinosaur curious, we have a several titles from a new series called The Dinosaur Library. These books examine the newest theories about the dinosaurs - what the looked like, how they lived and died. There is a glossary in each book and the bibliographical references include Internet addresses of recommended websites. There are also many drawings, charts, and photographs of fossil remains. A lot of information packed into a 112 page book! Check out the series on the Lakeview I.P.A.C.

From dinosaurs to Americans at war, our next new series covers a number of wars in which Americans participated from the American Revolution through the Persian Gulf War. Each war is its own series with several books looking at different aspects of that war. Most of the series include a book entitled Life of an American Soldier which looks at the daily routine and living conditions for soldiers in that war. Some of the series include a book that looks at life on the home front. Other titles in the individual war series depend upon the nature of that particular war. You can find out what books we have in what wars by using the Lakeview I.P.A.C. for a series search of American War Library.

New on the Non-Fiction Shelves

There are some exciting new series appearing on the non-fiction book shelves. I like to take a couple of weeks to introduce them to you.

Let's start with a new holiday series entitled "Celebrate." Full of bright colorful pictures these books look at holidays celebrated by Americans even if they originated in another country. For example, one of the books is Celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It tells the reason for the holiday, the history of the holiday, who celebrated it, its symbols and cultrual significance, and how it is celebrated today here and abroad. There are also directions for making a pinata. Book features include a glossary, chapter notes, a bibliography including Internet websites, and an index. So far the IMC has 4 books of the series: Cinco de Mayo, Columbus Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Ramandan, but more are coming. Use the Series Search on the IMC I.P.A.C. to check for other titles added in the future.

One series with a world outlook is "Middle East Nations in the News." This series is part of the MyReportLinks.com Books publishing company. That means there is a password in the first section of the book that leads to a website with links to wonderful sites for research in the book's topic. The idea of this company is to provide research in one place that has been checked and evaluated by experts and is safe for use by children. The book itself provides a lot of information, too. There is a map, a facts page, and a timeline before the text begins. The text summaries why this country is in the news, then goes and looks at the culture and history that has lead to today's situation. Color pictures often show websites provide by the book's links. That's a lot to pack into a 128 page. Series Search on the Lakeview IMC I.P.A.C. to find what titles are on the IMC shelves.

Bird Falls in Love with Native American Maiden

If that seems like a strange headline, welcome to the world of Wabi, a white great horned owl in Joseph Bruchac's book Wabi; a Hero's Tale. The story begins with the bird Wabi spending a lot of time with his great-grandmother Owl. We learn that both these owls share a special bond -- they can communicate in the language of humans. When Wabi falls in love with the human girl Dojihla, he longs for a way to become human so he can be with her. Then he learns that his great-grandfather knew the way to change. With the help of Owl, Wabi becomes human but must face several challenges before he is accepted by Dojihla, all the while learning how to adapt to being human.

After reading Bruchac's book Code Talker about the Navajos in World War II, this book comes as a bit of a shock with its strong fantasy elements. However it is beautifully written and blends in many elements from Native American folklore. I found myself wanting to encourage Wabi to go on through his trials always hoping the Dojihla would change her mind and accept him. Based on these two fascinating books, I will be looking for other books by Bruchac to add to the IMC collection.