True Tails of Baker & Taylor/ Jan Louch / 274 pgs

My second non-fiction book of the year:-) This is the biography of two cats who worked at a small public library in Minden, Nevada. The book was written by one of the librarians who initially brought these two Scottish Fold cats, Baker and Taylor, into the library. The cats were extremely popular with the patrons and staff alike and it was great fun to read about their antics and their different personalities. What sets these felines apart from other library cats is that they became world famous. For those not familiar with libraries, Baker & Taylor is a book distribution company. The cats were named after the company because the librarians were familiar with it. However, once the company caught wind of their furry namesakes, they wanted to use them for advertising. Baker and Taylor grudgingly submitted to photo shoots for posters and promotional items and soon their adorable faces were known the world over. People from across the country even visited the library just to see the cats.

The story of the cats' lives was interesting. At times the librarian veered off into the story of her own life and I have to say I did not find that part as fascinating. Of course, about halfway through the book it dawned on me that cats born in the early 1980s...well, they would no longer be with us:( So by the end I needed a box of tissue. But I have no regrets about reading their story.

Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu/ Joshua Hammer/ 278 pages

In the Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu Joshua Hammer introduces the reader to life in Mali before and after an attempted take over by jihadist.  Abdel Kader Haidara and his team of cohorts are the heroes in this story.  The reader learns of Haidara's long struggle to acquire centuries old manuscripts from the families in Mali.  Many of these manuscripts had been hidden away, some buried in the sand to keep them out of the hands of previous insurgents.  With grants, donations and various financial aid, Haidara builds a library to house, repair and preserve the collection.  In 2012 armed conflict with Tuareg rebels aided by Al Qaeda posses a threat to the manuscripts.  Working in secret Haidara and friends take on the monumental task of packing and transporting tens of thousands of manuscripts to safety.  As Hammer tells the tale of the librarians he also gives the reader a sense of how Al Qaeda and it's followers are responsible for terrorism not only to Western Nations,but to Islamic Nations as well.

The Forbidden Library / Django Wexler / 373 pgs

   A fantasy debut novel from someone who used to work for Microsoft. This was also part of Penguin YA Early Word program. Alice has a wonderful life with her father in their ramshackle house. Until one night when she overhears a conversation that changes everything. Her father tells her he must go on a trip and will be back as soon as he can. Unfortunately the ship he is on sinks with all hands lost. Alice is sent to live an 'uncle' she has never met. She is pretty sure this man isn't any uncle of hers but doesn't have a choice. Uncle Geryon lives in a huge house with only two other people: Mr Black who seems to be everything from chauffeur to butler and Emma who might be a friend or not. But the only good thing to rise out of this situation is the Library where there are more books then Alice has ever dreamed of.
   When it turns out Alice may have some magical abilities, Uncle Geryon begins to teach her basic skills. He sends her back to the Library to help find magical texts that may solve a problem he has been working on. While wandering among the shelves she meets two more eccentric characters: Ashes who is a talking cat and Isaac who is on a quest of his own. Alice discovers Mr Black may have the answer to the riddle of her father's death. What happens next is quite a grand adventure. I was lost in the pages of this book almost immediately. There are exquisite black and white drawings scattered among the pages depicting some of the strange creatures Alice encounters. Be warned! Once you start this you won't want to stop. If an audio is available - great for car rides of all ages.

Six Degrees of Reading: The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson, The Thickety: A Path Begins by Andrea Offermann, The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand by Jen Swann Downey.

I Kill the Mockingbird/Paul Acampora/166 pages

Lucy, Elena and Michael have been friends since kindergarten. It's the summer before they start high school, and they have to pick four books from a reading list to read before school starts. Lucy's mother has just returned home from the hospital where she has been declared miraculously cured from her terminal cancer. The kid's favorite English teacher suddenly died last fall, but he was a huge fan of To Kill of Mockingbird and had already told them that would be their only mandatory reading for the coming summer. Since Mockingbird is also Lucy's favorite book, she wants to everyone to read it as a tribute to Mr. Robert (Fat Bob) Nowak. So the three start hiding copies of the book in every bookstore and library they can, leaving a flyer saying I Kill the Mockingbird in its place. They start a website and Twitter account to spread the news of the "conspiracy." In short, they become literary terrorists.


This is a fun read that also has some good ideas for librarians to get kids reading. There are some touching moments between Lucy and her mom. Mockingbird is also my favorite book, so I was drawn to the title, and I wasn't disappointed.