The Gale Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes

Here is an interesting set of encyclopedias I came across in our reference area. It seems that at least once a year we get school age kids looking for books on Native American tribes and this would be a helpful resource.

This four volume set presents historical, cultural, and current information on nearly 400 Native groups within 13 geographic regions. This is a four volume set organized by tribal groups. Volume I covers the Northeast, Southeast, and Caribbean tribal groups. Volume II covers the Great Basin, Southwest, and Middle America tribal groups. Volume III covers the Arctic, the Subarctic, the Great Plains, and the Plateau tribal groups. Volume IV covers the Pacific Northwest, California, and the Pacific Islands tribal groups.

Each volume includes maps that indicate historical origins of tribal groups as well as locations of contemporary state and federal reservations.

The essays are arranged alphabetically within regional clusters. The essays are broken down into the following information: introduction, history, religion, language, buildings, subsistence, clothing and adornment, healing practices, customs, oral literature, current tribal issues, and bibliography and further reading.

This set was published in 1998. While the current information on a tribe will most likely be different the historical information will be the same. The historical maps are useful as well.

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Reading Level: Young Adult
(4 out of 5)

Rules of Attraction is a sequel of sorts to A Perfect Chemistry. A Perfect Chemistry was about Alex Fuentes and Rules of Attraction is about his brother Carlos. Carlos gets sent to live with Alex in Colorado when his gang ties in Mexico get him in trouble. Carlos is good looking, arrogant, cocky, and has a bad attitude. He doesn't want to be there and he doesn't follow rules. On his first day of his senior year he gets assigned a peer guide. Kiara Westford doesn't realize what shes getting into being Carlos peer guide. They don't instantly click but you know how they say opposites attract. When Carlos gets busted for drugs he gets sent to live with Kiara's family. Her father is a Professor and had Alex as a student and wants to help him out. Kiara isn't the type of girl Carlos usually goes for but he finds himself falling for her and falling deeper in trouble with gang issues. Can he get himself on the straight and narrow? Will he and Kiara find true love?

I thought that Carlos was harder to love than Alex. Alex was arrogant and cocky but I liked him sooner than I did Carlos. Carlos is a wise you know what but he grew on me and you can't help but root for him. What I really like about these two books is that Ms. Elkeles wrote an epilogue for both and you get to glimpse into their future and I really like that.

Exciting News

Caragh O'Brien the author of Birthmarked emailed me. I can't explain to you how thrilled I am. It's always really cool to hear from the authors. She saw the review on the blog and wanted to let me know that there will be a sequel. You can find the information on her website under FAQ. I can't tell you how excited I am that there will be a sequel and that she graciously took the time to let me know. So if you haven't read the book read it so that we can all wait anxiously together until the next one is released.

Birth Marked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Reading Level: Young Adult
(5 out of 5)

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't love the ending but I'm hoping that there will be another book to continue the story. Fingers are crossed because when I went on the authors website it didn't say if there would be a second one.

This story is set in the future. A future that has been baked dry by the harsh sun and there are people who live inside the wall and those who live outside the wall. Gaia Stone is sixteen and a midwife that lives outside the wall. She and her family serve the Enclave (government inside the wall). Every month the first three babies born are advanced to the Enclave. Gaia does her duty loyally until her parents are arrested by those she has served. Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe and she is determined to set her parents free.

Claude and Camille by Stephanie Cowell

CLAUDE & CAMILLE, A NOVEL OF MONET

By Stephanie Cowell

Rated 4

If you are curious about the 19^th century life of famous artists of Impressionism, you will enjoy this book about Claude Monet and his friendships with Renoir and Manet. This historical fiction book begins with Claude Monet and his early life in the seaport town of LeHavre, France. Against his father’s will, and with nothing but a dream and passion to create a new style of art, he set off for Paris. When he met Camille (who was from an upper-class Paris family) she became his inspiration and his future wife who stood by him as they lived in horrible conditions and moved frequently from place to place due to financial problems of artists. Monet’s love of Camille, gardens, and water lilies are evident in his paintings. In the latter part of his life, Monet lived at the now famous Giverny Gardens outside of Paris. I enjoyed the journey of Monet’s life and hope you will too.

“What can be said about a man who is interested in nothing but his painting?”

Claude Monet

Submitted by Helen

Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood

This is Trisha Yearwoods second cookbook. Her first one was Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. The recipes in both cookbooks are easy and look wonderful. I haven't tested any out yet but I want to try many.

Garth's Breakfast Bowl looks and sounds yummy. Garth Brooks, Trisha's husband, came up with this interesting breakfast bowl. Trisha says that Garth likes to cook breakfast and one morning he wanted something hearty so he put together scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, cheddar cheese, and the special ingredient cheese and roasted garlic tortellini. Who would of thought to put pasta in your breakfast but Trisha says it works and tastes great.

The Apple Dumplings look really good too and they are made with biscuits. Doesn't get any easier than that. I need to stop looking because it's making me hungry. Checkout this book!

Southern Living Comfort Food Cookbook

If you are looking for healthy than don't read this post because this cookbook is full of southern comfort food that is not low fat. I'm sure you can tweak the recipes to shave off calories and fat but why mess with the good stuff.

The Three Cheese Pasta Bake on the front cover looks to die for. I love cheese and pasta so when you throw those two together I'm in heaven. There's a recipe in here for Country Fried Steak that looks wonderful too. I love country fried steak. I really want to try the Pecan Pie Brownies. Ohhhh I think I'm drooling.

If you love cooking and cookbooks then please check this cookbook out. I don't think you would be disappointed.