A true story based on two Smith sisters living in Glastonbury, Connecticut in the 1870’s.  The town leaders, all men, decided to impose a tax on only ‘single female landowners’.  The yearly amount would have been $4,000 in today’s dollars.  Refusing to pay, their cows were auctioned off, only to be purchased by the Smith sisters through the benevolence of neighbors who believed they were being treated unfairly.  Their land was seized and each year brought a new fight against the system.  Women were not allowed to vote, not even allowed to say anything at a town meeting.  Their premise was that this was ‘taxation without representation,’ the same thing the colonists had fought one hundred years ago, a reason for the American Revolution.  The story is interesting, but the author’s note at the end of the story is also very interesting.  The Smith family was very, very educated, their father graduated from Yale.  Although this story took place when the Smith sisters were quite elderly, I am surprised that there weren’t some male relatives who weren’t on the town council to make taxation more fair.  Even without relatives, I find it hard to believe a town would actually do that.  But stranger things have happened.  It’s an amazing story.

This beautifully illustrated version of Little Red Riding Hood has been translated and edited by Maria Tarar.  The story is typical of the Little Red Riding story, not much has changed.  The illustrations are large and colorful and the wolf is huge, much larger than in previous versions.  At the end of the story is an additional short story in which the grandmother and Little Red are at grandmother’s house, aware of the wolf outside, waiting.  They trick him and he drowns and they are safe.  Beautiful black on sepia illustrations.  A new addition I had never had before, and very clever.  This will make a nice addition to any library.

Pet lovers will be happy to see this biography on Cesar Millan, the “Dog Whisperer.”  At a very young age, it was obvious that Cesar had a special way with dogs.  The book tells of his technique of calming dogs by looking through the eyes of the animal to understand them.  He believes that dogs are obedient to their owner only if they have an understanding of whom their leader is.  This he learned from his grandfather, who shared this  special skill with animals.

The biography tells Cesar’s story of crossing the border from Mexico into the US illegally, and of how he worked his way up to having his own TV show, which first aired on September 13, 2004.  Dog lovers will enjoy the  many photographs throughout.

This visually-appealing cookbook for beginners is sure to please.  Paula Deen, in her planning for the cookbook, first tried to think of events that would lead young people to cook/bake, and organized her chapters as such.  Some of the chapters include breakfast, bake sales, pool parties, sleepovers, Christmas parties, family picnics, and Mother’s and Father’s Day.  Cooking tips (“when cutting, use a cutting board to cut on, never the countertop), a Glossary (garnish, mince, saute, simmer, whisk, etc.) How to Measure (liquids vs solids, for example), and an index are added features.

The recipes contain thorough directions, including such things as positioning the oven racks, and how to prepare your cooking station.  Paula includes helpful information such as the fact that a muffin taken out of the freezer will take about 30 minutes to thaw, or one can microwave it for 45 seconds.

The Bake Sale chapter gives tips on how to have a successful bake sale.  Being from the South, Paula mentions manners throughout the cookbook, as well as presentation ideas to give the finished food a polished look.

This graphic novel is an exciting introduction to a classic Arabian tale.  The illustrations are expressive and colorful and the layout makes the story easy to follow.  Students come into the library looking specifically for graphic novels and I’m sure this one will circulate frequently.  AR level is 2.6 but content is young adult (5th grade and up).  Additional great features at the end of the book include discussion questions, writing prompts, a glossary, short articles about real hidden treasures in history as well as an introduction to the One Thousand and One Nights folktale collection.

I chose to review this 32 page  juvenile non-fiction book about Miniature Schnauzers because we have one at home.  I found myself laughing in recognition some of the time and disagreeing some of the time.  One statement said that Schnauzers make a strange howling sound when they don’t want to comply with a command.  However, we find our mini does that when he’s excited and wants our attention.  A section on grooming noted that minis should be professionally groomed at least twice a year.  At the rate Schnauzer fur grows and because they don’t shed, this breed of dog would be a shaggy mess if left 6 months without grooming.  Schnauzers should be groomed about every two months.  Just nuances but noticeable to an owner of this breed.  Every dog is different so some of the sweeping generalizations aren’t necessarily accurate, while other tendencies seem more typical of the breed.  Overall this is a good resource and the pictures capture the Schnauzer expressiveness and personality.

Mike Artell’s books make fantastic read-alouds for library story time for children aged 5 even up to middle school.  The Cajun language twist on Jack and the Beanstalk adds new flare and fun to a classic folk tale.  The illustrations are colorful and expressive and never frightening or too intense.  The story is told in a way that is a comfortable to read even for young children.  I highly recommend Jacques and De Beanstalk for elementary school libraries.

This latest Hank the Cowdog was funny, exciting and entertaining.    The author uses language and the dog’s perspective to create humorous situations throughout the story.  In this volume, Hank saves the ranch chickens from a pack of coyotes despite great temptation to join them in the chicken dinner.  Our students enjoy these books and they circulate frequently.  The book’s AR level is 4.4 and it is written for ages 8 and up.

While the subject of anorexia and bulimia is not an easy one to tackle, Kessler adds a touch of levity to the topic by bringing in a fantasy element.  Lisabeth Lewis is NOT an anorexic – she just watches what she eats.  Or so she convinces herself until she nearly overdoses on her mothers’ prescription medication, is visited by Death (who bears a surprising resemblance to a certain deceased rock legend), and is bequeathed the title of Famine.  In her newly appointed role as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Lisa begins to realize that her relationship with food is unhealthy.  Kessler does not shy away from unpleasant depictions of eating disorders, but Lisa’s sardonic personality shines through and gives the reader a reason to root for her.  The novel is not as powerful as Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls, but the supernatural tint will pull in readers who may not otherwise read about the topic.  Look for the sequel, Rage, coming out April 2011.

While set in a disturbing dystopian vision of the future, the world of this novel hits close to home.  Grace has been raised to be an Angel – one of the People of the Hills whose purpose in life is to die for her beliefs.  Grace is a suicide bomber, and when she sets off a bomb to kill one of the followers of the tyrannous ruler Keran Berj, her own death will bring her and her people honor.  However, when Grace decides that she would rather live than sacrifice herself, she finds herself on the run with another fugitive with a mysterious past.  This novel is largely introspective, and using succinct and philosophical language, Scott leads the reader towards truly understanding Grace, her world, and her struggle with the decision to live.  The parallels with our own world are apparent, and Scott does not skimp on violence or moral turmoil.  This book would be a perfect companion piece to a social studies lesson on the psychology of suicide bombers.