Lace Reader   by Brunonia Barry

A kaleidoscope of a story set in Salem, Mass., revolving around the women of the Whitney family, who can read the future in lace patterns.  Towner Whitney is the unreliable narrator of this story of family history and secrets.                        Carol & Alene      

Chez Moi   by Agnes Desarthe

A forty something wife and mother decides to open a Paris Bistro.                                                                                              Lisa

The White Tiger   by Aravind Adiga

The 2008 Booker Prize winner is set in modern India, with its slums, villages, phone service call centers, and a little dark humor.                                                Carol

Six Degrees:  Our Future on a Hotter Planet by Mark Lynas

The author explores what will happen to the planet for each degree it warms up:  1 degree means the loss of coral reefs; 3 degrees the collapse of Amazon's rainforests...It will scare the h__ out of you!                                                                    Norm                                                                                                                

The Marriage of True Minds by Stephen Evans

I thought this would be a light mystery,  but I was wrong.  This short novel is a touching story of the reationship between divorced environmental lawyers.  Written by a Twin Cities author.                                                                          Carol

Dewey:  The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

From the moment Dewey was discovered, I wanted to take him home and warm him up, and that is exactly the effect Dewey had on a small town library in Iowa--he warmed their hearts.  Full of laughs & a few tears, this is a story to enjoy yourself or read aloud to all ages .                                               Lisa

The Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles    

A family saga revolving around two seamstress sisters in 1930's Brazil.                                                                    Alene

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

A bizarre adventure with fantastical characters and events--both fun and disturbing.  Set in Wisconsin, Gaiman's writing is a clash of everyday experience and matter-of-fact unbelievability.                                                                                             Geoffrey

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch    

Based on Pausch's last University lecture, The Last Lecture is his prescription on how best to live your life.                           Carol

Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski

Fieldwork is a mystery within the story of a journalist with the same name as the author.  Following a lead on an anthropologist found dead in prison, Berlinski embarks on a journey in which he encounters missionaries, scientists, and the local people with whom they ineract.  Readers may ask themselves the reaons for and the effects of fieldwork abroad, whether it be by a missionary, a journalist, or a scientist.                                                        Carol in Booksense Summer 2008 Reading Group Picks

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley    

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a beautifully told gothic tale with a highly stylized narrative structure that makes the novel both thoughtful and intense.  Shelly speaks to the accumulation of human power, mentally and scientifically, making it relevant even today, if not especially today.  For these reasons and more, this book rightly garners the term "classic".                                     Geoffrey

Service Included by Phoebe Damrosch   

A fun insider's look at waitressing at one of the most exclusive restaurants in New York.                                                 Carol

The Shack by William P. Young    

Not my usual genre, but I found this bestseller very intriguing.  A father having difficulty coping with the murder of his daughter is summoned by God for the weekend.  Their ensuing conversations are thought-provoking, speaking to, among other things, the question of how God can let bad things happen.                                                                                                               Carol

I Like You by Amy Sedaris    

Amy Sedaris' I Like You is a hoot of a book to read through, with fun and original party ideas, humorous gifts to make and give, and great recipes.  This is a fun book to keep on hand when you want some good laughs, or give it as a gift to your girlfriends.                                                                 Lisa   

O The Oprah Magazine Cookbook intro by Oprah Winfrey    

...And for more great cooking ideas, the editors of O magazine have compiled a collection of their 175 best recipes.     

God Went to Beauty School by Cynthia Rylant    

Entertaining verse about God doing everyday things, written by the author of Dog Heaven.                              Kathy

And now for just a few of our favorite new kids' books...

39 Clues 2:  One False Note by Gordon Korman    

The second in an exciting new series about a brother and sister chasing clues to their heritage around the world.

My Pony   by Susan Jeffers

A little girl dreams of flying through the stars on her own pony.          

A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton  

I love this story of a grumpy bear who doen't want any visitors and the persistent little mouse who eventually succeeds in staying for tea and changing the bear's attitude.  A great read-aloud .         

Monkey with a Tool Belt by Chris Monroe    

Another one of our favorite new read-alouds is written and illustrated by a Duluth author.  This is a laugh out loud story of a monkey, his tools, and some trouble with an organ grinder.           

Everywhere the Cow says "Moo!"

by Ellen Slusky Weinstein & Kenneth Andersson    

Ducks may not always "quack" or dogs "bark", but cows "moo" in every country!

Swing! by Rufus Butler Seder

After the success of Gallop last year, Seder follows up with fascinating scanimation pictures of sport activities in this new book.

Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble   by Judith Byron Schachner    

The newest in one of our favorite series has Skippyjon Jones heading off to Egypt.

Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling    

Rowling has essentially created wizard fairy tales, which Harry and friends would have studied.  Dumbledore offers commentary on the tales.  Proceeds will go to the children's charity created by J.K. Rowling.

Hero by Perry Moore    

A superhero story for older teens revolves around a teenage boy who must cope with his superhero father's past and decide whether he will follow his own powers and destiny.