January New Books.

Over 70 new books were added to the IMC collection in January. Besides a number of new nonfiction books about the 1960s, I recommend Rap Music, by Jennifer Keeley which gives not only the history of rap music but some of the issues that have developed over its lyrics. Also new is Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, by Michael Woods. Here you get a tour of the ancient world of the Mediterranean Sea and visit such wonders as the Colossus of Rhodes, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Great Pyramid at Giza.

For those of you who prefer fiction there is my favorite book of 2009 - The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. She combines gladitorial combat and survival with reality TV in a future time when North America is made up of 12 districts. For sports fans we have added Beanball, by Gene Fehler, Football Hero, by Tim Green, and Cover-up: Mystery at the Super Bowl, by John Feinstein. We have finally replaced the missing book 2 of the Percy Jackson series, The Sea of Monsters, by Rick Riordan, just in time for the movie opening of the first book, The Lightning Thief on February 12th. And, yes, we have the first three books in the Twilight series - Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. Be sure to take a look at the new book section in the wall book shelves for these and other new titles in the IMC.

Fiction About the 1960s

After a week of researching the 1960s, it might be fun to read a fiction book set in the 1960s. The IMC maintains a bibliography of fiction books covering the decades of the 20th century. Use the phrase Twentieth Century in Fiction - 1960s in the I.P.A.C. if you would like to see the complete list. A couple of outstanding choices would be these:

The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt. Currently on the Caudill nominee list, this story focuses on a clash between teacher and student. At a time when religious education moved public school children to their churches on Wednesday afternoons, Holling and Mrs. Baker find themselves unwilling partners because Holling doesn't have a religious affilliation. Mrs. Baker was looking forward to quiet Wednesday afternoons and now she is stuck with Holling.

Yankee Girl, by Mary Ann Rodman, focuses on the outbreak of violent caused by the civil rights movement. Alice's FBI father moves the family to Jackson, Mississippi for his job. Alice wants to be popular at her new school, but that would involve being mean to the black girl in her newly-integrated school.

Paul, in Full Service by Will Weaver, finds a whole new world of people and ideas when he takes a job at a gas station near his Minnesota farm. And finally another current Caudill nominee, Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell, shows the effect of the Vietnam War on a military family when Jamie's older brother is shipped out to Vietnam. He sends her pictures that he takes of the jungle, his camp and comrades, and the moon that express his feelings.

These and other stories about life in the 1960s are available in the Lakeview IMC.

New Sixties Books

As the 8th grade Language Arts classes begin their Sixties Debate research next week, the IMC is pleased to announce several new addtions to our collection covering sixties topics. First, we have the book The Race for Space; The United States and the Soviet Union Compete for the New Frontier, by Betsy Kuhn. This well-illustrated book shows the development of spacecraft from Sputnick to the moon landing and talks about the advancements made and the rivalry between the two major powers.

From the series American Social Movement, we have a book on the Feminist Movement spanning from the 1920s to the end of the twentieth century. Also added is The 1960s from the series Great Speeches in History. This is a primary source book that features articles by many of the movers and shakers of that decade. But our prize addition is a 10-volume set called the Turbulent 60s featuring one volume for each year in the debate. These books contain many articles that are also primary sources having been written in the 1960s.

While the 8th graders are reserching for their debates, these new books will be in the Reserve Section and on overnight check-out. Once the research is completed, these books will be available for everyone who enjoys looking back on a decade that changed America.