Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

Auxier, Jonathan. Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes. 2011. 397p. ISBN 9781419700255. Available at FIC AUX on the library shelves.

Discovered floating at sea with a raven sitting on the basket and with his eyes pecked out, Peter grew up a blind orphan in the port town that became his home. Adopted by a master thief, Peter became schooled in the art of pilfering, stealing, plundering, lock-picking, and pick-pocketing. He could maneuver in the tightest spots, climb the highest buildings, and explore through people’s houses with them in it. But this was never enough for Mr. Seamus, his evil master and his equally evil and vicious dog.

So when Peter manages to steal a box of magical eyes from a mysterious haberdasher, his life irrevocably changes. With nothing to lose, he decides to place one of the pair of eyes in his empty sockets, since they seem about the same size as his eyeballs would be. He is instantly transported into the waters of a tropical island, where he has to struggle to get out of the water while attempting to save a strange creature who turns out to be Sir Tode, a not-so-brave knight who was bewitched and turned into a strange mixture of cat and horse.

The two of them land on the island, where they meet the Professor and the haberdasher, who live on this island. Peter is to be sent on a very important mission: he must go to the missing kingdom and help the inhabitants restore the true king. At first Peter doesn’t want to go on this mission, but he and Sir Tode reluctantly agree to go.

They meet many strange creatures along the way, and end up in the desert, for the kingdom has lost all access to the ocean due to a curse. As Peter and Sir Tode make their way towards the distant castle, they must figure how to cross the uncrossable moat and help the people inside the castle. But ravens fly the skies and jealously guard the desert. And the evil king rules the castle with an iron fist and an army of armed gorillas.

Equipped only with his wits and his skills as a master thief, Peter must help the princess and the other children overthrow the king and escape from the bonds of slavery. As dangers grow and the stakes get higher, can Peter and his magical eyes shift the balance of justice?

A companion volume is called Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard. If you enjoyed this magical story, you might like Fake I.D. and The Great Greene Heist. Auxier also wrote a great horror story titled The Night Gardener.

X: A Novel

Shabazz, Ilyasha with Kekla Magoon. X: A Novel. 2015. 348p. ISBN 978-0-7636-6967-6. Available at FIC SHA on the library shelves.

Malcolm Little lives in Lansing, Michigan, during the Depression. His father and mother were both strong advocates for the rights of Blacks, and told their many children they could accomplish anything they set their minds to. Marcus Garvey’s mantra, “Up, you mighty race,” illuminated their childhood. But all is not right in the 1930s Michigan, and as Malcolm grows up he realizes that his father’s preaching earn nothing but scorn and insults from the white folks that surround them.

His father has an “accident” when Malcolm is six, and his mother is hard pressed to help the family survive. She manages to hang on for seven long years before the government finally institutionalizes her and places all of the children in foster care. Malcolm is now on his own, and loses the little direction he had from his father. His English teacher in high school asks him what he wants to be, and when he replies he wants to become a lawyer the teacher laughs. A black man can’t be a lawyer!

Rudderless and lost, Malcolm is given the opportunity to move to Boston with his half-sister. There he discovers a whole new world where Blacks live together in their own neighborhoods, where they can dance and party away. Malcolm quickly succumbs to the night life and the easy money hustling various schemes.

As he sinks further in a life of crime, easy women, and easy money, Malcolm finds himself searching for more. It’s only when he finally gets arrested and gets sent to prison that Malcolm discovers the power of Garvey’s quote. He converts to Islam, changes his name to Malcolm X to reject the patronyme given to him by slavers, and joins the Nation of Islam.

Drawn from real events and written in part by his daughter, the story of Malcolm X’s youth is fascinating and demonstrates his growth from a petty and narcissistic criminal to a religious and political leader who was part of the Civil Rights movement. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy discovering an individual whose myth has now overwhelmed his real life.

Secrets of the Space Shuttle

Rees, Peter. Secrets of the Space Shuttle. 2008. 36p. ISBN 978-0-531-17590-3. Available at 629.44 REE on the library shelves.

The space shuttle delivered astronauts, satellites, and pieces of the International Space Station to orbit around Earth for over three decades. This book not only tells the story of the space shuttle, but also of the whole space adventure from the beginning of the space race to today. Well written with great illustrations, it also discusses the future of space travel and space living.

Denton Little’s Death Date

Rubin, Lance. Denton Little’s Death Date. 2015. 352p. ISBN 9780553496963. Available at FIC RUB on the library shelves.

Science discovered a way to accurately predict someone’s death through DNA analysis, statistical predictions, actuarial tables, and secret algorithms. Just about everyone knows the date of their death. So society has evolved several rituals, including the funeral being held the day before someone dies, a death banquet, and a death watch.

Denton Little has always known that he would die early, at age 17. Unfortunately for him, this day falls on the day of his high school prom, and he will not be allowed to attend in case he were to die at the school. His death was always in the future, but now this is tomorrow. By 11:59 pm tomorrow, Denton will be dead.

The morning of his funeral, the day before his death, Denton wakes up at his best friend’s house … in his best friend’s sister’s bed … without clothes … and with a note from her asking him to make the bed when he gets up. Plagued with a massive hangover, these two events are both firsts (and most likely lasts) in Denton’s life: He got drunk, and he had sex. But now, what will his girlfriend think if she finds out?

What ensues is a hilarious ride through the last two days of Denton’s life with his best friend, from his funeral dinner where the DJ can’t remember his name to smoking weed the night before his death. But something is not quite right. What is this purple rash he has developed on his leg? And why is it slowly spreading? More importantly, why is it spreading to the two girls he had sex with? And to his best friend? Could it be what actually kills him? And why does he feel like there are people tracking him down? Why does the doctor that was there when Denton’s mother gave birth to him just before dying suddenly show up again in his life and tell him to beware of government agents?

Denton Little’s life was simple if close to its end, but now there’s a mystery at hand he needs to solve, he’s got to make things right for his best friend, his girlfriend, his first love, and the other people at school, attend prom, and avoid dying until the last possible minute on his death day. Buckle up the hearse, it will be a fast ride!

If you liked this book, you will love Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and Grasshopper Jungle, both books where the protagonist is a teenage boy and does not censure his thoughts!

Astronauts

Richardson, Adele D. Astronauts. 2000. 32p. ISBN 1-58340-046-X. Available at 629.45 RIC on the library shelves.

The conquest of space could not have happened without the courageous men and women who hurled themselves to outer space aboard rockets and space shuttles over the last fifty years. This book presents the pioneers of space travel and discusses the history of humans in space. Astronaut training is explored, and the various qualities necessary to become an astronaut are explained. Fans of space will enjoy reading about what it takes to be one of the few who get to go to space.

Reality Boy

King, A. S. Reality Boy. 2013. 353p. ISBN 9780316222709. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Gerald is very angry. He has always been angry. The third child, Gerald was an accident, but that didn’t make him angry. What did make him angry was his sister Tasha. Tasha, the eldest child and seven years older, has always hated Gerald. And not in the way siblings sometimes hate each other. In the visceral sense of the word. She hated Gerald, and on several occasions tried to kill him.

Gerald’s mother decided that it would help their situation if she participated in Network Nanny, a reality show about a nanny providing help to struggling families. The show came, and Gerald became the focus of this dysfunctional family. The cameras were rolling when Gerald crapped in his mother’s closet, on the table, on Tasha’s dolls. As a five years old, he became known as the Crapper.

Twelve years later, Tasha still lives in the basement. Gerald’s second sister, also a victim of Tasha, left as soon as she could and now goes to college far away in Scotland. His mother is still in denial with Tasha’s psychopathic tendencies. His father is still disconnected from the family. And Gerald is still angry. He’s in the special ed class at school, though he can learn perfectly well. He is still known as the Crapper at school. But now there’s Register 1 girl, Hannah. Gerald is intrigued by her and attracted to her. He works register 7 at the local arena, and the distance is necessary between the two. For Gerald knows he’s on the borderline to an angry burst that would land him in jail. His therapist tells him to stay away from girls, he can’t handle them right now. But Hannah is still there, and Gerald just can’t push her away. Can she help him discover his true self and reconnect to the world that exists beyond the Crapper?

Space Shuttle

Richardson, Adele. Space Shuttle. 2000. 32p. ISBN 1-58340-052-4. Available at 629.44 RIC on the library shelves.

Travelling to space with disposable rockets is very expensive. Tasked by President Nixon to come up with a more cost effective vehicle to breach gravity, NASA engineers created the Space Shuttle, a flying vehicle that could re-enter the atmosphere and be reused on another trip.

Overall, six shuttles were built. Enterprise, the first one, never flew to space but was used to test the aerodynamics and the guidance systems. The other five (Atlantis, Endeavour, Discovery, Challenger, and Columbia) have all flown countless missions, connecting with the International Space Station, releasing and fixing satellites, and conducting science experiments.

The explosion of Challenger in 1986 almost grounded the shuttle program, but after engineering fixes the shuttles returned to the skies. In 2011, Atlantis flew the last mission to space.

This short books presents information on the most famous space vehicles, including its history and capabilities, as well as an overview of the many missions accomplished over three decades.

The Tao of Pooh

Hoff, Benjamin. The Tao of Pooh. 1982. 176p. ISBN 9781405204262. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Winnie the Pooh and his friends are character archetypes, each embodying a specific quality (or flaw) that colors their view of the world. Winnie himself is a go lucky and happy bear that follows the river without making wave. To Benjamin Hoff, this characteristic of Pooh makes him the perfect western Taoist.

Thus, Hoff spends time talking to Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and the others to demonstrate how the way they live their lives relate to the ancient eastern philosophy of Taoism. So if you want to know how to live naturally and simply, this is the book for you.

Stock Cars

Howard, Melanie A. Stock Cars. 2011. 32p. ISBN 978-1-4296-4752-6. Available at 796.72 HOW on the library shelves.

The invention of the automobile was followed shortly thereafter by the first car races. Over the years, mass-produced cars were modified for track use. In the late 1940s, race moguls got together and founded NASCAR. And in the last sixty years, stock car racing took off and became one of the most watched sports in the United States. And the race car evolved to a highly sophisticated technological piece of equipment.

This book describes the history and growth of stock car racing, from the cars to the drivers who push the machines to their limits and reach the finish line in an exciting fashion. Vocabulary terms are defined and a glossary is also provided.

Small Bones

Grant, Vicki. Small Bones. 2015. 256p. ISBN 978-1-459806535. Available at FIC GRA on the library shelves.

Dorothy Blythe is an orphan. She was left on the doorsteps of the Benevolent Home in Hope, Ontario as a newborn. Unfortunately, a fire destroys the orphanage and her life there and she must leave Hope. At seventeen, all she has with her are two items from her past: A fine oversize coat with initials embroidered inside, and a small silver spoon with a coat of arms on it.

On the train taking her East, Dot meets a strange boy, and all of her savings are stolen. Finding herself penniless in Buckminster, where the coat was manufactured, she reluctantly accepts a ride from Eddy, the boy she met on the train. He takes her to the Dunbrae Arms where she takes a job as a seamstress. Dot hopes that her meager clues will reveal her past, but as she gets closer to Eddy and to unraveling the events that took place seventeen years ago, life at the Dunbrae Arms may become very dangerous.

Taking place in 1964, Dot is motivated to discover who she really is. Her relationship with Eddy is rocky but real, and both the main characters and the supporting casts are well rounded and fully developed. The setting is fascinating, and the dynamics of small town resort life are well explored. Fans of romance and mystery will appreciate this book. Shattered Glass is also part of this series.

Black Cat, Vol 9

Yakubi, Kentaro. Black Cat, Vol 9. 2000. 200p. ISBN 978-1-4215-0610-4. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

The battle between Cerberus and Creed has been joined (see Black Cat, Vol. 8), but Creed has a secret weapon in his pocket. He employed the same nanotechnology that engineered Eve to create a super strong and unstoppable werewolf. With Rinslet in the hands of the Apostles, Nizer makes a deal with Creed. He’ll fight and kill the werewolf, but then Creed will have to release Rinslet. Creed agrees.

At first the battle goes poorly for Nizer. The werewolf is fast and regenerates cut limbs, even his own head. But then Nizer moves so fast the werewolf is unable to heal itself. Both groups are back to a draw when Train arrives, saves Rinslet, and escapes from the castle, leaving them to fight it out. Charden and Kyoko, meanwhile, make the decision to abandon Creed. With everything upended, who will survive this battle?

The story continues in Black Cat, Vol. 10.

The Living

de la Pena, Matt. The Living. 2013. 320p. ISBN 9780385741200. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Shy would never have been able to afford a cruise, but the teen is excited to begin working on a cruise ship for the summer months. His grandmother recently died of Romero disease, a deadly virus similar to Ebola that kills its victim within hours, and, since she was the main breadwinner for the family, money is now tight. Shy figures he’ll earn good money, get great tips from people who don’t know the value of a dollar, eat free food, and even meet beautiful girls in bikinis since his main assignment is the pool deck.

On his first cruise, however, he encounters a man that confides in him, telling Shy he’s done many wrong things and apologizes to him before jumping overboard. The incident startles Shy, and he can’t shake it off. When, on the next cruise, his friend tell him a man has been asking questions about him and the incident, Shy becomes suspicious. Who would want to investigate him?

Meanwhile, he’s falling hard for Carmen, who’s also from his hard-hit part of town south of San Diego. But she’s engaged, so Shy knows she’s off limits. He also meets two girls during this second cruise. Both of them are snobs and make fun of him.

When a severe storm strikes the ship, Shy is not too worried about the survival of the ship. Clearing the deck that evening, he comes upon those two girls again. And one of them is crying. She tells him her father’s got a photo of him, how can he explain that? Shy has no idea why her father would possess this photo. Combined with the presence of the strange man in the black suit, and the ranksack of his room, Shy is now worried.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t have time to think any further. Soon after the storm, a massive earthquake beyond anything ever measured strikes California, destroying most of the coast. Suddenly the ship faces the largest set of tsunami waves, and not even a large cruise ship can hope to survive it intact. Shy now finds himself in a fight against nature that will be hard to win…

This book is a great complement to The Perfect Storm, another ship disaster, and fans will enjoy this survival story.

The Battle of the Bulge: A Graphic History of Allied Victory in the Ardennes, 1944-1945

Vansant, Wayne. The Battle of the Bulge: A Graphic History of Allied Victory in the Ardennes, 1944-1945. 2014. 104p. ISBN 978-0-7603-4622-8. Available at 940.54 VAN on the library shelves.

In the fall of 1944, the German army slowly but inexorably retreated in front of Allies onslaughts. On the Eastern Front, the Russians were pushing into Poland. On the Western Front, combined French, British, and American forces had landed in Normandy and had liberated Paris. Cornered, Adolf Hitler placed his dwindling hope on one more grand attack. The German army would push through the Ardenne forest in an attempt to reach the Meuse River and encircling off a large Allied force in Belgium and Holland.

What became known as the Battle of the Bulge was fought in miserable conditions as the Germans launched their attack during heavy fog in December. The temperature often dropped below freezing, and relentless bombardments and attacked tired both men and machines. The German push threw off the American divisions but quick thinking and the rallying of green forces stemmed the tide, stopping the Germans in their tracks.

The Battle of the Bulge proved to be the last offensive launched by Germany. Henceforth, the Allies would have the strategic initiative until the fall of Berlin and the German capitulation in May 1945.

In this beautifully and accurately illustrated story, Vansant tells the story of the men who fought under harsh conditions and of the units that participated in the largest land battle ever fought by the U.S. Army.

Other books in this illustrated series include The Bombing of Nazi Germany and Normandy: A Graphic History of D-Day. The Invasion of Hitler’s Fortress Europe.

The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York

Merritt, Kory. The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York: A Yarn for the Strange at Heart. 2015. 128p. ISBN 978-1-4494-7100-2. Available at GFX MER on the library shelves.

Mr. Jonathan York has led a very uneventful life, filled with nothing but the small comfort of daily living. When he decides to take a shortcut through the swamp, however, everything changes. Scared and lost, he follows three strangers to the Cankerbury Inn, the only shelter available for the night. Unfortunately, the price of the room is so high Mr. York can’t pay it: the innkeeper wants a story in exchange for a key to a room. All three guests tell their tale of woes, and in exchange obtain a key. But poor Mr. York is paralyzed. He’s never had a tale to tell. Unmoved, the innkeeper tosses him back in the swamp for the night. Mr. York is about to experience his first adventure with the denizens of the swamp.

Walking aimlessly amid the sounds and noises of the swamp, Mr. York encounters a shady character that provides him with directions to a shelter. It turns out that this shelter is currently occupied by the West Bleekport Gang, a monstrous group of criminals. Mr. York ends up recruited by the gang, and off they begin their trip through the swamp to retrieve lost treasure. Along the way he will have to confront a Bogglemyre, the Terraqueenpin, as well as survive encounters with a necromancer and, worse, public speaking!

Fans of Earthling! will appreciate the irreverent way in which these characters and monsters are drawn.