book previews
Gretzky and great fiction
NON-FICTION
A History of Ghosts: The True Story of
Seances, Mediums, Ghosts, and Ghostbusters, by Angela Narth and Peter
Aykroyd. This book is part history and part
family legend. Aykroyd begins in 1848 in
upstate New York, where the spiritualist craze
began. He introduces readers to notable mediums while telling the story of spiritualism. At
the same time, he addresses his own interest in
the topic and the role the paranormal has
played in our culture. And he tells the story that
inspired his son Dan to make the movie
Ghostbusters. (Available September 29)
love story is based on events surrounding the
life of Niagara’s most famous riverman,
William “Red” Hill. (Available September 4)
Gretzky’s Tears: Hockey, Canada, and
the Day Everything Changed, by
Stephen Blunt. Blunt, a sportswriter, reveals
how Wayne Gretzky was bought and sold
more than once before deciding to leave
Canada for California. He also shows how
Gretzky’s talent attracted several sports
businessmen who were after vicarious thrills.
The Edmonton Oilers had four Stanley Cup
victories, but Gretzky may have had other
goals in mind. (Available October 6)
Half-Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel,
by Jeannette Walls. From the author of The
Glass Castle comes the story of Walls’ maternal grandmother, Lily Casey. By the age of 6,
Lily was helping her father break horses. At 15
she left home to teach in a frontier town—
riding 500 miles on her pony to get to the job.
Lily, who survived natural disasters and the
Great Depression, is a character who won’t
soon be forgotten. (Available October 6)
Vehicle Play Sets
What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures, by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell is
the author of the books Blink and The
Tipping Point. This is the first collection of
his essays for The New Yorker. The anthology
includes an assessment of what makes for a
safer automobile, a look at how people hire
when they can’t tell who’s right for the job,
why employers love personality tests and the
saga of the quest to invent the perfect
cookie. (Available October 20)
JUVENILE
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins. In this
sequel to The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen
and fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark have
won the annual Hunger Games. The victory
was won by defying the Capitol. Katniss and
Peeta have just won a life of safety and plenty
for themselves and their families. But there
are rumours of rebellion, and Katniss and
Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. (Available September 1)
Grades K– 2 • These vehicle play sets (Farm
Machines, Rescue Vehicles, Trains, Trucks) are
packed with fun and learning. Children will
read about the physical features of vehicles
and the job each one does. Then, they can
play with the toys to help bring the vehicles
to life. Each kit includes a poster with
interactive stickers and removable stickers
that can be used for decoration.
Total Math & Total Reading
2-Pack
—Stephanie E. Ponder
Costco warehouses. a
Buyer’s
pıck
Catherine Bergeron
Book Buyer
THIS ISSUE’S Buyer’s Pick is Joyce
Maynard’s Labour Day. The story
begins at the close of summer in Holton
Mills, New Hampshire, where lonely
and friendless 13-year-old Henry spends
most of his time reading, watching TV
or thinking about his female classmates.
His life changes when a mysterious
man asks Henry for help. Over the next
five days the man teaches Henry some
of life’s most valuable lessons, including
how to throw a baseball, the secret of
a perfect pie crust and that real love is
worth waiting for.
Grades PreK– 6 •
These books give a
total of 700 pages of
fun, colourful
activities that help
build math, reading,
and language arts
skills. Both books
include a poster,
stickers and
answer keys.
Gordon Ramsay’s Maze, by Gordon
Ramsay. Ramsay’s restaurant, Maze, focuses
on fresh ingredients and imaginative flavour
combinations served in small portions. This
cookbook gives readers the opportunity to
cook the Maze way. More than just a collection
of recipes, the book explains how each dish
would be served in the restaurant, followed by
additional recipes using the same ingredients.
From starters to desserts, Ramsay shows how
to make meals artful and delicious. (Available
September 1)
Flat Fish™ Kits
The Day the Falls Stood Still, by
Cathy Marie Buchanan. In 1915,
at the dawn of the hydroelectric era,
17-year-old Elizabeth “Bess” Heath
finds her life changed by a family tragedy. As Bess makes her way through
unfamiliar territory, her salvation comes
in the form of riverman Tom Cole. Soon
his actions earn him the labels of hero
and threat to the power companies.
Steeped in the history of Niagara Falls, this m
o
Grades PreK– 2 • The hands-on learning foam
fish help to develop letter and number
recognition skills. Each fish features an
uppercase and a lowercase letter, number, or
word on one side with a textured surface on
the reverse side. The activity book and cards
further extend the skills children learn in
school with fun activities that include word
puzzles, dot-to-dot, imaginative play and
classifications.
FICTION
This is a really poignant
coming-of-age story of loss,
betrayal and, above all,
love. The author deftly
captures the complex
emotions and longings
of a boy on the cusp of
manhood; very impres-
sive and moving.
Labour Day is
available at most
