Publisher: Docurama
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Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent Van Gogh is a brilliantly done docurama. The DVD is narrated by John Hurt. Told only through the letters the artist wrote to his brother Theo, the portrait of a truly tortured soul is revealed as he plunges deeper and deeper into madness. His life is one of agony, poverty, loneliness, rejection. --all so heart wrenching as the bleak landscapes cross the screen. And yet when he writes to Theo about his art, he speaks with clarity and passion and understanding-his genius in every stroke of his brush. He signed each painting with only his first name, knowing people would be unable to pronounce his last name. Vincent sold only one painting during his lifetime. He hoped to make a difference in the world and died never knowing he did.

Publisher: Warner Home Video
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/13/2007
UPC: 00794043111167

Sometimes my favorite part of the dvd is the special feature "making of the movie". Such is the case with Take the Lead. This is based on the true story of a champion ballroom dancer who began a program in the elementary schools in New York City.

Publisher: Paramount
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 1/1/2005
UPC: 00097363455547

I watched the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom which states on the DVD cover-Anyone can make it if they learn how to shake it. This award winning film follows 4th and 5th graders as they learn meringue, tango, rumba and literally transform themselves into ladies and gentlemen. Unlike many other kinds of dance, in ballroom, the two must dance as one. The kids learn life lessons and as chronicled onscreen, some completely changed their lives around. This one brings heart warming tears and laughter, a good one to boost your spirits after Vincent.

Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 1/1/1999
ISBN: 9781565121812
ISBN-10: 1565121813

For those gardeners who need inspiration during the winter months, I recommend listening to Writer in the Garden. This compilation of 19th and 20th century garden writings, taken from essays, diaries, journals and letters is amusing, opinionated, ironic and just right for listening in snippets between looking at seed catalogs and garden magazines and puttering in the yard making plans for the spring. (For a list of resources on gardening here in CA, check our full list of resources at www.library.sccgov.org/services/lists/cagardening.html)

Table of Contents  

Publisher: Speak
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 4/1/2004
ISBN: 9780142401668
ISBN-10: 0142401668

The trend in making children's books into feature movies continues with Stormbreaker, a suspense novel for young teens written by Anthony Horowitz. Not my usual book on tape fare, I was quite taken in by the spy story of Alex Rider, a 14 year old orphan living with his uncle who supposedly works in a bank. His life changes dramatically the day his uncle is killed in a car accident, which isn't an accident at all-but murder. Alex is sent on a top secret mission to uncover the plot, find the bad guys and save the world. Exciting and it is only the first adventure in this series.

Publisher: Onyx
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/4/2005
ISBN: 9780451411556
ISBN-10: 0451411552

Another departure for me is Temptress, a book and book on tape by Lisa Jackson. In reading the blurb on the back of the cassette case, the author "weaves intense passion and seat-gripping suspense into this historical romance set in medieval Wales". Well, I love to read historical romance and I have traveled in Wales, so I tried it. It begins with a brutally beaten and unrecognizable warrior brought in to the castle and the ring on his finger leads Lady Morwenna to suspect the stranger is the man she once loved who left her alone and pregnant years earlier. Mysterious deaths, scandalous secrets and dangerous characters kept me riveted right to the end when the murderer was revealed.

Publisher: Sony Music (video)
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 4/6/2004
UPC: 00826663482096

This show is hilarious and it only lasted for one season! It aired on NBC in 1999. The show takes place in 1980 and focuses on a brother and sister as they cope with high school. The brother, Sam, is considered a geek, while his older sister, Lindsay, is a freak. There is a character in the show that represents every type of person, whether you were the cheerleader, bully, freak or geek.

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 2/8/2005
ISBN: 9780689865381
ISBN-10: 0689865384

Uglies is a really great start in this Westerfeld trilogy. It starts with Tally who is approaching the age of 16. On her birthday, she gets to have the operation and become a Pretty and move to New Pretty Town. This is all that she wants; it's what she was raised to believe. But then things start to go wrong, her friend escapes because she doesn't want to be Pretty, she wants to find the people living on the outside, the Smokies. Tally must find her friend or she will never become pretty, ever. And that is what she really wants, isn't it? I loved this book and couldn't get enough. The following books, Pretties and Specials are equally enthralling.

First Chapter  

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 5/31/2005
ISBN: 9780345481252
ISBN-10: 0345481259

Katie is just a normal girl from Texas trying to make it in New York. But things in New York just seem too weird. Like that girl on the subway with the fairy wings? What, does she think it's Halloween or something? And that gargoyle up on that building, it wasn't there yesterday. It turns out his name is Sam and gargoyles and fairies and magic does exist; Katie just doesn't possess any magic at all. She is so normal and ordinary that she can spot the unordinary. She falls under the attention of a magical corporation and gets a new job and a new crush as well. This book is a fantastic mix of fantasy and romance. I can't wait for the sequel, Once upon stilettos.

First Chapter  

Publisher: Chronicle Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/1/2004
ISBN: 9780811842112
ISBN-10: 0811842118

This book is full of crackerjack ideas on how to make your holiday season a little tackier. Merry kitschmas has ideas for decorating, cooking, cocktails and more. There are instructions on how to make alternative Christmas trees. The "Valley of the Dolls" Christmas tree is a particular favorite of mine. This book inspired me to make my own tacky wreath, complete with plastic doodads and doll heads that I wish I could hang up year round!

Publisher: Emi Distribution
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 3/7/2006
UPC: 00724596931226

So, you probably have already heard this band before on TV but you just don't know it. Many of their songs have been featured in commercials and television programs. The most recent song "Fly me away" is in a holiday Target commercial. Goldfrapp is a little rock and a whole lot techno and makes you want to dance. Alison Goldfrapp makes up the vocals for this band, and she has quite the range as she weaves seductive melodies.

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 8/1/2001
ISBN: 9780399234163
ISBN-10: 0399234160

When I need an ego booster and an all around reminder of how special and great I am, I don't read Dr. Phil's Self Matters, my go-to book is Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon. Molly Lou Melon is short, has buck teeth, and is a bit klutzy, but thanks to her grandmother's advice to "stand tall," Molly Lou Melon astounds and surprises the bully at her new school. Not only great to read, but the illustrations by David Catrow are hilarious!

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 8/1/2003
ISBN: 9780763619541
ISBN-10: 076361954X

I deal with crazy hair every day; however, in this story Stanley deliberately sculpts his hair with rubber bands and colors it with Halloween hair spray because he is celebrating Crazy Hair Day at school. However, as Stanley walks into class he not only discovers that he has gotten the day wrong, but instead of it being Crazy Hair Day, it is School Picture Day. A nice story about bad hair, good friends, and turning mistakes into possibilities for fun!

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 4/26/2005
ISBN: 9780375824296
ISBN-10: 0375824294

My love of rock music and children's picture books come together in this great read aloud about rocking farm animals. Every night while Farmer Joe gets ready for bed, the farm animals tune up their instruments, practice their set, and rock out to the tune of Old McDonald. Check out the Punk Farm website and download their greatest hit.
http://www.punkfarm.com/song.html

Publisher: HarperTrophy
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/1/1999
ISBN: 9780833571793
ISBN-10: 0833571796

I love the book, but it's the animated adaptation of this book about little Pierre who just doesn't care that I truly enjoy. Pierre lives his life most joyfully not caring about anything or anyone. However, his attitude changes with the help of a friendly lion. Warning: Watching the animated version will leave you singing the "Pierre" song for a couple of hours!

Table of Contents  

Publisher: Sugar Beats Entertainment
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 1/1/1999
UPC: 00791031000526

When my co-worker plays this CD as she practices for her story time, it gets me in the mood to do a little singing and a little dancing. The Sugar Beats have created a friendly invitation to oldies music for children. Although, I love the original version, "Build me up buttercup" is my favorite on this fun and funky album.

Publisher: Soho Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/1/2001
ISBN: 9781569472545
ISBN-10: 1569472548

I discovered this gem at a Greenwich Village, New York City, mystery bookstore. The store had a great wall display of the staff's 100 top mystery picks and I was drawn by the picture of the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore on the cover. This is an elegantly written mystery set in Florence with a cast of eccentric Italian and British characters.

First Chapter  

Publisher: Warner Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 8/8/2006
ISBN: 9780446533065
ISBN-10: 0446533068

In her second novel, after the well-received Good Grief, Winston probes the pain and consequences of infertility. Elinor and Ted are a successful, married couple in Silicon Valley emotionally damaged by two years of infertility treatments. Winston's talent is evident: she captures Elinor's anguish and Ted's love for both Elinor and his lover, Gina with compassionate understanding and a touch of humor.

First Chapter  

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/24/2006
ISBN: 9780399153761
ISBN-10: 0399153764

Spenser, a Boston PI, is once again hired by April Kyle who was a teenage runaway that turned to prostitution. Now she is a madam of an up-scale, all-female operation that some men are trying to take away from her. April claims she doesn't know who is after her business, but Spenser finds ties to organized crime. Spenser without much surprise also finds that April, the thugs and everyone else involved is lying to him.

Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/1/2004
ISBN: 9781571316516
ISBN-10: 1571316515

Isabelle is in eighth grade when she starts binge eating and purging. Her father has recently died and her mother is depressed and in denial. This is a gentle, non-preachy look at bulimia for young teens. Friend keeps the focus on the importance of expressing the emotional pain at the root of an eating disorder.

Publisher: Signet
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/5/2006
ISBN: 9780451220110
ISBN-10: 0451220110

A twist on the traditional regency: can a rogue overcome his opium addiction in order to marry his true love? I liked the historical detail that Beverly weaves into her usual, splendid love story.

Publisher: Charlesbridge
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 2/1/2005
ISBN: 9781570915222
ISBN-10: 1570915229

This book is beautiful, both in content and form. The collage art appealed to my visual senses, and the individual quotes from the women selected to represent each letter of the alphabet were inspirational on another level. It's an artistic tribute to people who have made a difference, including authors, athletes, architects, and advocates. Also, keep a look out for the companion book, Akira to Zoltan: Twenty-Six Men Who Changed the World, coming soon to a library near you!

Table of Contents  

Publisher: HarperCollins
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/1/2005
ISBN: 9780066237787
ISBN-10: 0066237785

An alternate title for this book might be: The True confessions of James B. Dobbins. James writes several letters to Santa outlining his excuses for any of his behaviors that might be misconstrued as naughty in the last year. He admits that he has not done anything horrible to Jessica, even though she is the most annoying little sister on the planet. As a younger sister myself, this book gives me new insight into an older brothers justification process!

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 3/16/2006
ISBN: 9780803730915
ISBN-10: 0803730918

In this fun picture book, wrinkly Grandpa Raisin imparts wisdom on fresh young grandson grape. It's clever and funny, much like James Proimos poetry book, If I were in Charge the Rules Would be Different. I like this guy's sense of humor!

Publisher: Higher Octave Music
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 1/1/2005
UPC: 00094633688728

Here is something to listen to apart from the ordinary. I especially enjoyed the two cuts performed by Kenyan musician Ayub Ogada. Look for the upbeat track called "Dicholo", and the haunting, "Kothbiro."

Publisher: Sony Bmg Music
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/13/2005
UPC: 00827969393123

When I first heard the song "Over My Head" last year, I thought this band had a great sound and it was a must have in the library collection. This is the Fray's first CD, released in 2005. It also looks like someone at Grey's Anatomy agrees with me since they are using the title track "How to Save a Life" on their TV show now. It's an excellent disc all the way through!