Braille Book Review, Vol. 67, No. 6, November-December 1998

Braille Book Review
November-December 1998
Volume 67, Number 6

_Braille Book Review_ is published bimonthly in large-print, 
braille, and computer diskette formats and distributed
free to blind and physically handicapped individuals who
participate in the Library of Congress free reading program. 
It lists braille magazines and books available through a
network of cooperating libraries.  The braille edition also
lists recorded books, giving abbreviated annotations.  News
about library services is featured in both editions.
     The annotated list in this issue is limited to titles
recently added to the national collection, which contains
thousands of fiction and nonfiction titles, including
classics, biographies, gothics, mysteries, and how-to and
self-help guides.  To learn more about the wide
range of books in the national collection, readers may order
catalogs and subject bibliographies from cooperating
libraries.  Librarians can check other resources for titles
and answer requests for special materials.  Readers can
receive _Braille Book Review_ and other information
through the Internet by accessing the the NLS
home page at http://www.loc.gov/nls.
     To order books or for subscription changes,
contact your local cooperating library.
Correspondence regarding editorial matters should be sent
to Publications and Media Section, National Library Service
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of
Congress, Washington, DC 20542.

Library of Congress, Washington 1998

Library of Congress
Catalog Card Number 53-31800
ISSN 0006-873X

Contents:                           

In Brief

Books for Adults
     Nonfiction
     Fiction

Books for Children
     Nonfiction
     Fiction

Braille Magazines

###
_In Brief_

APH to assist in revising National Literary Braille
Competency Test 

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) of
Louisville, Kentucky, and NLS have entered into a
cooperative agreement to work on the revision and ongoing
maintenance of the National Literary Braille Competency Test
(NLBCT). NLS has been administering the test for teachers of
braille to children and adults since May 1994. It is
currently being revised as part of a validation study
conducted by Human Research Resources Organization (HumRRO),
Alexandria, Virginia. 

NLS director Frank Kurt Cylke said, "We look forward to
working with the research and development staff at APH on
this project. APH has long been a leader in the development
of materials for the education of blind children and adults.
Its staff has expertise in testing and test production that
will complement the NLS expertise in the literary braille
code and in the certification process."

During the next two years, APH will participate with NLS in
organizing two committees to facilitate the revision process
and to manage and maintain the testing program over time.
The Administrative Issues Committee (AIC) will oversee
administration of the test and recommend policies and
procedures associated with the testing program. The Test
Development Committee (TDC) will develop and maintain
the test (e.g., introduce new test forms as needed). The
Administrative Issues Committee will have members from the
American Council of the Blind (ACB), the Association for
Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually
Impaired (AER), and the National Federation of the Blind
(NFB). The Test Development Committee will include a
representative group of teachers. 

The American Printing House will further assist the effort
by producing the print and braille test materials.

For additional information contact: Mary Lou Stark, Head,
Braille Development Section, National Library Service for
the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress,
Washington, DC 20542; telephone 800-424-8567; fax
(202)707-0712; e-mail: msta@loc.gov

Newsstand

The following announcements may be of interest to readers.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped reserves the right to publish announcements
selectively, as space permits. Items mentioned, however, are
not part of the NLS program, and their listing does not
imply endorsement.

Life-saving techniques for blind people. Safe without Sight
is a manual that teaches people who cannot see how to use
their skills to avoid or protect themselves in dangerous
situations. The book was a collective effort by Scott
McCall, a blind director of the rehabilitation center that
developed the program; Wendy David, a blind clinical
psychologist who specializes in trauma and assault; and
Kelly Kollmar, a sighted self-defense instructor who has
designed a variety of programs for disabled people. The
guide suggests practical self-defense techniques and is
available in print, in braille, on cassette, and on computer
diskette for $14. Add $3 shipping and handling for print.
Write the National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street,
Boston, MA 02115 or call 1-800 548-7323.

Children's book club on the World Wide Web. The National
Braille Press (NBP) offers a new print-braille children's
book every month for children in preschool through third
grade. The same children's picture books available at many
stores are enriched with the identical text in braille
embossed on transparent plastic sheets. 

Membership in the book club is free and entitles you to
receive monthly notices (in print or braille) describing
each month's feature book, which range in price from $4.95
through $15.96. 

Members can also choose to subscribe and automatically
receive the print/braille book each month for an
annual fee of $100. For more information, visit NBP on the
World Wide Web at http://www.nbp.org/bookclub.html

Triangle Braille Services (TBS) releases catalog. TBS
produces lesbian and gay literature in braille for purchase
at affordable prices. Their inaugural catalog includes
nonfiction, fiction, and poetry not otherwise available in
accessible formats. For more information or to request a
free catalog in braille, on computer diskette, or via
e-mail, contact Triangle Braille Services, P.O. Box 50606,
Minneapolis, MN 55405; phone: (612) 822-0549; e-mail
jenshar@concentric.net

The following information is reprinted from Talking Book
Topics, November-December 1998.

In Brief

Catalogs Published in Audio Format

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (NLS) has released three catalogs in recorded
audio format. Bestsellers 1984-1994, Cassette Books 1997,
and Entertainers describe special-format books available to
eligible patrons.

Bestsellers 1984-1994 is recorded on four-track cassette and
features listings of fiction bestsellers that are in audio
format. The bestselling novels are by authors such as
Danielle Steel, Barbara Taylor Bradford,Tom Clancy, Robert
Ludlum, Stephen King, and John Grisham, among many others. 

Cassette Books 1997, which is recorded on flexible disc,
lists adult cassette books produced by NLS during 1997.
Books are listed alphabetically within subject categories
under nonfiction and fiction headings. 

Entertainers is recorded on cassette and is a bibliography
of selected books about actors, singers, dancers, comedians,
and television personalities.

The catalogs are being sent directly to patrons who ordered
them on their annual publication order forms. They can also
be ordered from your cooperating library.

Newsstand

The following announcement may be of interest to readers.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped reserves the right to publish announcements
selectively, as space permits. Items mentioned, however, are
not part of the NLS program, and their listing does not
imply endorsement. 

Life-saving techniques for blind people. Safe without Sight
outlines a program of crime-prevention and physical
safe-defense strategies for people who are blind. The guide
suggests practical techniques for avoiding attacks, ensuring
personal safety, fighting back, and constructing a personal
safety plan. The manual is available on cassette tape, on
computer diskette, in braille, and in print for $14. Add $3
for postage for print. Write National Braille Press, 88 St.
Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115 or call
800-548-7323.

###
_Books for Adults_

Books listed in this issue of _Braille Book Review_ were
recently sent to cooperating libraries.  The complete
collection contains books by many authors on fiction and
nonfiction subjects, including biographies, classics,
gothics, mysteries, romances, and others.  Contact your
cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of
books available in the collection.
     To order books, contact your cooperating library.
     Note:  For the information of the reader, a notice may
appear immediately following the book description to
indicate occurrences of strong language, explicit
descriptions of sex, or violence.  The word "some" before
any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent
occurrence, as in "some strong language."

###
_Nonfiction_

Fulbright: A Biography.
BR 11200.
by Randall Bennett Woods.
9 volumes.
A portrait of the internationalist senator from Arkansas and
staunch opponent of the Vietnam War. Traces his Arkansas
roots, Oxford education, and distinguished academic and
political careers. Follows his thirty years of service in
the U.S. Senate, where he made a lasting imprint on cold war
foreign policy. 1995.
BR 11200.
##

Intimate Worlds: Life inside the Family.
BR 11236.
by Maggie Scarf.
5 volumes.
Analyzes the family structure using the Beaver Family
Systems model. The system classifies groups in levels from
severely disturbed to optimally adjusted. Scarf interviewed
four families to illustrate her theories. She also discusses
bonding and relationship boundaries. 1995.
BR 11236.
##

The Portable Emerson.
BR 11293.
by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
6 volumes.
Selections from the works of essayist and poet Ralph Waldo
Emerson (1803-1882). Includes his first published work,
_Nature_, which contains the essence of his
transcendentalist philosophy; his address to the Phi Beta
Kappa society at Harvard, "The American Scholar"; and his
controversial address to the graduating class of the
Cambridge Divinity School in 1838. Also includes other
essays and twenty-two poems. 1981.
BR 11293.
##

The Modern Book of Stretching: Strength and Flexibility at
Any Age.
BR 11297.
by Anne Kent Rush.
1 volume.
A preventive healthcare expert presents a series of
stretches that range from slow, easy movements to quicker,
more demanding ones. Includes both solo and partner
stretches and recommends movements to assist in various
sports. 1997.
BR 11297.
##

Mexico: Biography of Power, a History of Modern Mexico,
1810-1996.
BR 11299.
by Enrique Krauze.
10 volumes.
Krauze depicts the personalities and lives of Mexico's
rulers and leaders to present the history of the country.
Among the men he chronicles are Archduke Maximilian,
Emiliano Zapata, Francisco Villa, Lazaro Cardenas, Miguel
Aleman, and Gustavo Diaz Ordaz. 1997.
BR 11299.
##

The Words We Live By: The Creeds, Mottoes, and Pledges That
Have Shaped America.
BR 11310.
by Brian Burrell.
4 volumes.
In this anthology of major texts that have influenced life
in the United States, the author compiles works ranging from
the Golden Rule to the Mafia initiation oath. What began as
a family hobby evolved into this collection of essays
revolving around popular sayings. 1997.
BR 11310.
##

Cold War: The American Crusade against World Communism,
1945-1991.
BR 11311.
by James A. Warren.
2 volumes.
Chronicles the cold war--America's global struggle against
communism from 1945 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in
1991. Portrays the military, diplomatic, economic, and
scientific dimensions of the rivalry between the
superpowers. Explains the issues and events of the era. For
junior and senior high readers. 1996.
BR 11311.
##

The Seeing Glass: A Memoir.
BR 11312.
by Jacquelin Gorman.
2 volumes.
When the author temporarily loses sight--one eye at a
time--she retreats to her bedroom and memories of her late
autistic brother, Robin. In alternating chapters she tells
of her experience with blindness and the story of Robin.
1997.
BR 11312.
##

Friendships in the Dark: A Blind Woman's Story of the People
and Pets Who Light Up Her World.
BR 11314.
by Phyllis Campbell.
2 volumes.
Totally blind since birth, the author tells of growing up on
a small Virginia farm and going away to a residential school
with her older sister, who is also blind, and becoming a
church organist. She describes in loving detail the animals
and other friends she meets along the way. 1996.
BR 11314.
##

Our Fascinating Earth.
BR 11315.
by Philip and Nancy R. Seff.
3 volumes.
A collection of almost 180 articles presenting unusual
scientific facts and information on natural wonders. Each of
the nine chapters covers a variety of topics such as wolves,
scorpions, the Kohinoor diamond, the pyramids, dinosaurs,
rivers, carnivorous plants, hurricanes, even garlic. For
junior and senior high and older readers. 1996.
BR 11315.
##

An Unspoken Hunger: Stories from the Field.
BR 11321.
by Terry Tempest Williams.
1 volume.
A collection of eighteen essays by a naturalist who draws
attention to the earth and reminds readers that they are
part of the environment. The author urges people to become
more intimate with nature. 1994.
BR 11321.
##

John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life.
BR 11349.
by Paul C. Nagel.
5 volumes.
Based on Adams's diary and correspondence, this biography
depicts his family life as well as his political career.
Covers his negotiation of the Monroe Doctrine, his
successful defense of the _Amistad_ antislavery case before
the Supreme Court, and his term as the sixth U.S. president.
1997.
BR 11349.
##

Beauty Lab: How Science Is Changing the Way We Look.
BR 11362.
by Mildred Leinweber Dawson.
1 volume.
The author describes how the human body works and how to
take care of it. Discusses how good health combined with the
results of medical and cosmetic research can help maintain
the natural beauty of teeth, hair, and skin. For junior and
senior high readers. 1996.
BR 11362.
##

Listening with My Heart.
BR 11364.
by Heather Whitestone.
2 volumes.
The author tells of growing up deaf after a childhood
illness and dreaming first of being a dancer and then of
being a beauty pageant winner. Crowned Miss America in 1995,
Whitestone became the first victor with a disability. She
tells of her belief that she is following God's plan and
describes the five guiding principles that helped her find
success. 1997.
BR 11364.
##

Working in Music.
BR 11369.
by Barbara Lee.
1 volume.
Profiles of twelve people in musical careers: a jazz
drummer, a classical pianist, a violin maker, a composer, an
arts administrator, a music teacher, a recording engineer, a
folk musician, a music retailer, a child-life specialist, a
disc jockey, and a vocalist. For junior and senior high and
older readers. 1996.
BR 11369.
##

I Won't Let You Go: Selected Poems.
BR 11370.
by Rabindranath Tagore.
3 volumes.
English translations of selections by a Bengali poet who in
1913 was the first Indian to receive the Nobel Prize for
literature. Expresses elements of his culture and philosophy
and includes an introduction, notes, and a glossary to
assist Western readers. 1991.
BR 11370.
##

The World Out There: Becoming Part of the Lesbian and Gay
Community.
BR 11372.
by Michael Thomas Ford.
2 volumes.
The author presents a young adult's guide to understanding
and becoming a part of the gay and lesbian community.
Discusses dating, sex, music, information sources, and
educational opportunities. Offers portraits of gay
subcultures in major American cities. For senior high and
older readers. 1996.
BR 11372.
##

Spineless Wonders: Strange Tales from the Invertebrate
World.
BR 11379.
by Richard Conniff.
2 volumes.
Explores the bizarre world of invertebrates--spineless
creatures that make up more than ninety-nine percent of all
animals. Offers factual and humorous observations on flies,
fire ants, leeches, worms, moths, squid, and more. Describes
the devoted people who study these creatures. 1996.
BR 11379.
##

Lost in the System.
BR 11382.
by Charlotte Lopez.
2 volumes.
Lopez, who became Miss Teen USA in 1992, tells of spending
her entire childhood in foster care after being taken as a
toddler from a mother she describes as mentally unbalanced.
Although her sister is adopted by their foster parents,
Lopez is seventeen before she is adopted by another couple.
Some strong language. 1996.
BR 11382.
##

Wearing the Morning Star: Native American Song-Poems.
BR 11423.
edited by Brian Swann.
2 volumes.
A sample of Native North American song-poems, including an
Inuit's song about the first airplane he ever saw, Navajo
chantways, hunting songs, and lullabies. The introduction
and notes provide background information and sources. 1996.
BR 11423.
##

Full of Beans.
BR 11435.
by Brooke Dojny.
1 volume.
Dojny describes various types of beans, debunks the old
concept that beans have to be soaked overnight, and offers
seventy-five recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, and main
dishes--both with and without meat. 1996.
BR 11435.
##

Take Charge of Your Diabetes.
BR 11447.
by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
1 volume.
A guide for people with adult-onset diabetes to help prevent
complications. Describes potential problems and how to avoid
them. Stresses the need to work with a healthcare team to
control the blood glucose level. 1997.
BR 11447.
##

Alive Together: New and Selected Poems.
BR 11458.
by Lisel Mueller.
2 volumes.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. Includes works
published over almost four decades as well as newer works.
The poems celebrate the human capacity for love and joy, and
the experience of family, music, and language. 1996.
BR 11458.
##

A Night to Remember.
BR 11461.
by Walter Lord.
2 volumes.
A detailed portrayal of what happened aboard the _Titanic_
when it struck an iceberg and began to sink in the North
Atlantic on April 14, 1912. Based on the accounts of the
survivors, from first-class passengers to steerage and crew.
Bestseller 1955.
BR 11461.
##

Birthday Letters.
BR 11462.
by Ted Hughes.
1 volume.
Thirty-five years after Sylvia Plath's suicide, her husband,
Ted Hughes, responds with eighty-eight poems. Arranged
chronologically, the poems depict their courtship, marriage,
and an imagined sixtieth birthday reunion in her honor.
Bestseller 1998.
BR 11462.
##

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story.
BR 11463.
by John Berendt.
3 volumes.
In the 1980s, New Yorker Berendt began visiting Savannah,
Georgia. Enchanted by the city and its inhabitants, he spent
more and more time there. He introduces Savannah and the
hodgepodge of friends he made, especially Jim Williams, an
antique dealer active in the restoration of Savannah. He
also discusses the murder on May 2, 1981, for which Williams
went to trial--four times. Strong language. 1994.
BR 11463.
##

Reading between the Bones: The Pioneers of Dinosaur
Paleontology.
BR 11477.
by Susan Clinton.
1 volume.
Profiles eight pioneers in the study of dinosaurs and
explains how scientific knowledge is cumulative. Clinton
notes that dinosaurs were unknown until 1824, when Georges
Cuvier identified the first dinosaur bone, describing it as
belonging to a whale-sized lizard. Now three hundred kinds
of dinosaurs are known to vertebrate paleontologists. For
junior and senior high readers. 1997.
BR 11477.
##

###
_Fiction_

Redburn: His First Voyage; Being the Sailor-boy Confessions
and Reminiscences of the Son-of-a- Gentleman in the Merchant
Service.
BR 11203.
by Herman Melville.
4 volumes.
Wellingborough Redburn makes his first voyage to Liverpool,
where there is widespread poverty and a lack of democracy.
He enjoys a wild excursion in London and faces a harrowing
voyage home. Based on the author's first voyage in 1837.
1849.
BR 11203.
##

Suttree.
BR 11251.
by Cormac McCarthy.
4 volumes.
After serving time in the workhouse, young Suttree chooses a
ramshackle houseboat on the Tennessee River instead of his
family's conventional lifestyle. Drifting through the seamy
side of Knoxville in the early 1950s, he encounters whores,
petty thieves, and derelicts, but remains emotionally
detached from his surroundings. Strong language, some
violence, and some descriptions of sex. 1979.
BR 11251.
##

She Came to Stay.
BR 11252.
by Simone de Beauvoir.
4 volumes.
Originally published in 1943 as _L'Invitee_. In Paris on the
brink of World War II, two intellectuals try to establish
intimacy with a newcomer. Francoise probes her feelings of
love and jealousy when her long-term relationship with
Pierre becomes threatened by Xaviere, a younger woman.
Xaviere is determined to stay, regardless of the
consequences. 1954.
BR 11252.
##

Straight Man.
BR 11294.
by Richard Russo.
4 volumes.
A week in the life of Hank Devereaux, interim chairman of a
mediocre English department at West Central Pennsylvania
University. He maintains a sense of humor as he deals with
budget problems, paranoid colleagues, and family crises.
Some strong language. 1997.
BR 11294.
##

Memory: A Vorkosigan Adventure.
BR 11295.
by Lois McMaster Bujold.
4 volumes.
The dual identity of Miles Vorkosigan as Admiral Naismith
and Lord Miles is central to this adventure. After Naismith
is ousted from the military, an assassination plot against
Simon Illyan, security chief of the Barrayar empire, gives
the Admiral's other identity, Lord Miles, a chance to prove
his worth. Sequel to _Mirror Dance (BR 10665)_. 1996.
BR 11295.
##

Collected Stories.
BR 11296.
by Carson McCullers.
4 volumes.
Short stories from the southern writer including "The Member
of the Wedding" and "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe," which are
considered McCullers's best works. Many of the stories are
autobiographical and feature southerners, either at home or
transplanted to the north. Some violence and some strong
language. 1987.
BR 11296.
##

An Independent Woman.
BR 11309.
by Howard Fast.
3 volumes.
Barbara Lavette, matriarch of a diverse California family,
writes columns for her ex-husband's newspaper. After being
robbed in her home, Barbara refuses to prosecute her
assailant, believing him a victim of society, and instead
tries to rehabilitate him. Shortly after, while planning a
family wedding, Barbara unexpectedly falls in love with the
minister, Philip Carter. __1997.
BR 11309.
##

My Antonia.
BR 11320.
by Willa Cather.
3 volumes.
A lawyer recalls his Nebraska boyhood and the girl who was a
strong influence on his life in this novel about pioneering
conditions and the assimilation of immigrants. Contains a
historical essay by James Woodress that describes the
origin, writing, and reception of the book. 1918.
BR 11320.
##

The Knotted Strings.
BR 11332.
by Jake Page.
2 volumes.
A movie of the Pueblo Rebellion of 1680 is being shot on the
reservation, but some of the Native Americans are unhappy.
Blind sculptor Mo Bowdre, whose Hopi girlfriend has a small
part in the film, becomes involved when the leading man and
the agent who leased the land to Hollywood are murdered.
Strong language and some violence. 1995.
BR 11332.
##

Caprice.
BR 11361.
by Ronald Firbank.
1 volume.
Sally Sinquier, a provincial clergyman's daughter, steals
from her family in order to pursue her dream of becoming an
actress. After fleeing to London, she discovers a new world,
both complex and humorous. 1917.
BR 11361.
##

Sketches from a Hunter's Album.
BR 11373.
by Ivan Turgenev.
4 volumes.
Short stories by the Russian novelist who was born in 1818
and died in 1883. His work is noted for the poetic
atmosphere of country settings, the contrast between hero
and heroine, and the objective portrayal of heroes who
represent the development of the Russian intelligentsia. A
hatred of injustice marks all  his writings. 1990.
BR 11373.
##

Seedfolks.
BR 11416.
by Paul Fleischman.
1 volume.
A story about how people of different nationalities help a
Vietnamese girl transform a trash-filled vacant lot into a
community garden and how friendships developed among the
gardeners.  Grade 1 braille. 1997.
BR 11416.
##

Blood Kin: Seth Strummar Series, Book 1.
BR 11426.
by Elizabeth Fackler.
2 volumes.
In Texas in the 1880s, sixteen-year-old Johanna Devery is
forced to work in her stepfather's bordello after she
refuses to marry Beau Olwell, the man who brutally raped
her. She escapes and falls for hired killer Seth Strummar,
who is returning to El Paso on a mission of vengeance.
Prequel to _Backtrail (BR 11430)_. Strong language, explicit
descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1991.
BR 11426.
##

Scarlett: The Sequel to Margaret Mitchell's _Gone with the
Wind_.
BR 11428.
by Alexandra Ripley.
7 volumes.
Continues the saga of Scarlett O'Hara which began in
Margaret Mitchell's _Gone with the Wind (BR 11427)_.
Scarlett returns to Tara after Melanie's funeral, but then
makes her way to Ireland where she struggles to get Rhett
Butler back into her life. The author was chosen by
Mitchell's heirs to write the sequel. Bestseller 1991.
BR 11428.
##

Backtrail: Seth Strummar Series, Book 2.
BR 11430.
by Elizabeth Fackler.
2 volumes.
Western gunman Seth Strummar may have had a reason to kill,
but he is now an outlaw with a price on his head. He flees
after arranging an escort to safety for his young wife, but
she is kidnapped and he again seeks revenge. Sequel to
_Blood Kin (BR 11426)_. Violence, strong language, and
explicit descriptions of sex. 1993.
BR 11430.
##

I'll Be Seeing You.
BR 11441.
by Lurlene McDaniel.
1 volume.
Carley Mattea is in the hospital yet again when Kyle Westin
is admitted. Kyle has been temporarily blinded by a
chemistry experiment gone awry, so he cannot tell that
Carley's face has been disfigured by cancer. Kyle falls in
love with the Carley he knows, but she is determined that he
will never see her after he recovers. For senior high and
older readers. 1996.
BR 11441.
##

The Ornament Tree.
BR 11448.
by Jean Thesman.
2 volumes.
Orphaned at fourteen, Bonnie Shaster goes to live with her
mother's female relatives in Seattle in 1918. They welcome
her, even though they, too, have fallen on hard times and
are forced to take in boarders--including a young man
blinded in the Great War. An ornament tree, which grants
secret wishes, helps Bonnie settle into her unusual new
home. For junior and senior high readers. 1996.
BR 11448.
##

Fire on the Wind.
BR 11449.
by Linda Crew.
1 volume.
In the summer of 1933, the loggers of Oregon are facing fire
threats and work shutdowns. Meanwhile, Storie has completed
eighth grade and is confused about her future. Her mother
wants her to go to high school in town and become something
other than a logger's wife, but her father wants her to be a
camp cook. For junior and senior high readers. 1995.
BR 11449.
##

Witches' Brew.
BR 11451.
by Terry Brooks.
2 volumes.
Ben Holiday, High Lord of the Magic Kingdom of Landover, is
challenged by King Rydall of Marnhull for mastery of the
realm. And Ben cannot refuse to do battle with the champions
that Rydall sends against him, because Ben's daughter has
been abducted through a witch's magic, and Rydall holds the
key to her fate. Sequel to _The Tangle Box (BR 11179)_.
1995.
BR 11451.
##

The Masterharper of Pern.
BR 11464.
by Anne McCaffrey.
4 volumes.
Child prodigy Robinton, born at Harper Hall, is popular
among the harpers, who teach the culture of Pern through
their music. But the harpers are losing credibility because
the dreaded Thread has not fallen for centuries. And in the
north, the hatred of Robinton is growing. Falls between
_Dragonflight (BR 5797)_ and _Dragonsdawn (BR 7601)_. 1998.
BR 11464.
##

You Can't Get There from Here.
BR 11478.
by Earl Hamner Jr.
2 volumes.
Sixteen-year-old Wes tells of a day spent combing New York
in search of his father. As he recalls incidents of family
life and various friends and relatives from Virginia, the
juxtaposition of easy Southern country ways with the hectic
pace of New York makes a droll contrast. 1965.
BR 11478.
##

###
_Books for Children_
Books listed in this issue of _Braille Book Review_ were
recently sent to cooperating libraries.  The complete
collection contains books by many authors on fiction and
nonfiction subjects, including animals, geography, nature, 
mystery, sports, and others.  Contact your cooperating
library to learn more about the wide range of books
available in the collection.
     To order books, contact your cooperating library.

###
_Nonfiction_

Market!.
BR 11026.
by Ted Lewin.
1 volume.
A look at how people from all over the world come to
marketplaces. Some walk barefoot, some ride on horses or
donkeys, some come in dugout canoes or by city subway. They
bring with them what they grow, catch, or make, so they can
buy what other people bring with them. PRINT/BRAILLE. For
grades K-3. 1996.
BR 11026.
##

Animals on the Inside: A Book of Discovery and Learning.
BR 11238.
by Andres Llamas Ruiz.
2 volumes.
Illustrates and describes the anatomy of a variety of
animals, including insects, fish, reptiles, birds, mammals,
and dinosaurs. Explains the functions of the elephant's
trunk, the kangaroo's pouch, and the camel's hump. For
grades 4-7. 1994.
BR 11238.
##

On My Own: The Journey Continues.
BR 11394.
by Sally Hobart Alexander.
1 volume.
After going blind at twenty-four, as told in _Taking Hold:
My Journey into Blindness (BR 10223)_, Alexander describes
also losing part of her hearing. Determined to be
independent and self-sufficient, she recounts her fears and
difficulties adjusting to a new apartment, finding a job,
and meeting the right man. For grades 6-9 and older readers.
1997.
BR 11394.
##

Earth Always Endures: Native American Poems.
BR 11399.
by Neil Philip.
1 volume.
A collection of sixty poems from various Native American
groups. Concise, eloquent phrases convey a respect for
nature and for human qualities. Many reveal the spiritual
aspects of tribal life. For grades 5-8 and older readers.
1996.
BR 11399.
##

Lives of the Athletes: Thrills, Spills (and What the
Neighbors Thought).
BR 11431.
by Kathleen Krull.
1 volume.
Portraits of twenty well-known athletes, filled with
information about their childhood and how they handled fame
and fortune. Includes Jim Thorpe, Babe Ruth, Sonja Henie,
Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, and Bruce Lee. For grades 3-6.
1997.
BR 11431.
##

Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the
Neighbors Thought).
BR 11474.
by Kathleen Krull.
1 volume.
Lively portraits of twenty well-known composers and
musicians, filled with anecdotes and amusing facts. Included
are Bach, Verdi, Clara Schumann, Foster, Joplin, Gershwin,
and Guthrie. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 1993.
BR 11474.
##

Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the
Neighbors Thought).
BR 11475.
by Kathleen Krull.
1 volume.
Features the stories of twenty writers, ranging from Hans
Christian Andersen to E.B. White. In addition to
biographical information, sketches of authors include
details about their work habits and newsy tidbits such as
whom they loved, what they wore, what they read, and what
would make them laugh. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
1994.
BR 11475.
##

Dinosaur Ghosts: The Mystery of Coelophysis.
BR 11489.
by J. Lynett Gillette.
1 volume.
Gillette provides background information about a New Mexico
site where hundreds of fossils of Coelophysis (a dog-sized
dinosaur) are located. She presents various hypotheses
regarding the occurrence of this mass grave and analyzes
each to determine the most probable explanation. For grades
3-6. 1997.
BR 11489.
##

Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems and Drawings of Shel
Silverstein.
BR 11502.
by Shel Silverstein.
1 volume.
A collection of 127 madcap poems. Subjects include acrobats,
Band-Aids, dancing pants, and sleeping sardines. For grades
2-4 and older readers. 1974.
BR 11502.
##

###
_Fiction_

Amanda Pig, Schoolgirl.
BR 11019.
by Jean Van Leeuwen.
1 volume.
Amanda Pig has been waiting to start school her whole life.
When the day finally arrives, she is very happy and excited.
But the little pig sitting next to her on the bus does not
seem happy at all, and Amanda Pig is determined to cheer her
up. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. 1997.
BR 11019.
##

Hosni, the Dreamer: An Arabian Tale.
BR 11021.
by Ehud Ben-Ezer.
1 volume.
In this folktale, a shy, but very independent, young
shepherd fulfills his dream of traveling to the city. Hosni
spends all his money to buy a verse from a wise man in the
market. The older shepherds make fun of Hosni, but soon his
understanding of the verse saves him from disaster.
PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades 2-4. 1997.
BR 11021.
##

An Angel Just like Me.
BR 11029.
by Mary Hoffman.
1 volume.
The family's angel ornament for the Christmas tree is broken
when it is unwrapped. Tyler asks his mother if any angels
look like him, a boy with brown skin. His mother doesn't
know, so Tyler spends his afternoons shopping unsuccessfully
for one. On Christmas morning, a special present comes for
Tyler--a carved angel that looks just like him.
PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. 1997.
BR 11029.
##

The Rough-Face Girl.
BR 11031.
by Rafe Martin.
1 volume.
This Algonquin Indian folktale is a variation on the
Cinderella story. The two beautiful older sisters are mean
to the Rough-Face Girl. But her inner beauty gives her an
advantage when all three want to marry the Invisible Being.
PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 1992.
BR 11031.
##

Bearskin.
BR 11032.
by Howard Pyle.
1 volume.
A resourceful young man raised by a mother bear with magical
powers unwittingly fulfills a prophecy when he champions a
princess and slays a three-headed dragon. PRINT/BRAILLE. For
grades K-3. 1997.
BR 11032.
##

Belle Prater's Boy.
BR 11318.
by Ruth White.
1 volume.
When twelve-year-old Woodrow Prater's mother, Belle,
mysteriously vanishes from the family's Appalachian shack,
Woodrow moves into town to live with his grandparents.
Beautiful next-door cousin Gypsy first seeks to discover
cross-eyed Woodrow's secret and then comes to respect him
for who he is. For grades 5-8. Newbery Honor Book. 1996.
BR 11318.
##

Little Town on the Prairie.
BR 11326.
by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
2 volumes.
In 1881 Mary, who is blind, is finally able to leave for
college, and Laura gets a job in town helping a seamstress.
She also continues her schooling so she can receive her
teaching certificate. Sequel to _The Long Winter (BR
11325)_. For grades 4-7. 1941.
BR 11326.
##

These Happy Golden Years.
BR 11327.
by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
2 volumes.
Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder, the town's most eligible
bachelor, enjoy a delightful romance while Laura teaches
school. When her last term ends, they marry and look forward
to a long and happy life together. Sequel to _Little Town on
the Prairie (BR 11326)_. For grades 5-8 and older readers.
1943.
BR 11327.
##

Lone Wolf.
BR 11338.
by Kristine L. Franklin.
1 volume.
Since his baby sister died and his mother moved out three
years ago, Perry Dubois, now eleven, and his father have
lived alone in the woods. When a large family buys the land
where Perry's secret cave is, he despairs of ever sighting
the wolf he's been hearing. But he finds an unlikely friend
in the family's oldest girl. For grades 4-7. 1997.
BR 11338.
##

Family Tree.
BR 11363.
by Katherine Ayres.
1 volume.
When sixth-grader Tyler Stoudt gets an assignment to create
a family tree, her heart sinks. Her widowed father won't
talk about his own family or her mother's, so Tyler has no
idea who her relatives are. For grades 3-6. 1996.
BR 11363.
##

Countdown.
BR 11378.
by Ben Mikaelsen.
2 volumes.
NASA has selected Elliot to be the first junior astronaut.
While in space he talks on shortwave radio to people on
earth, including Vincent, a Masai youth. Elliot and Vincent
argue about their different beliefs and customs but finally
realize that differences do not have to be barriers to
friendship. Some violence. For grades 5-8. 1996.
BR 11378.
##

Search for the Shadowman.
BR 11385.
by Joan Lowery Nixon.
1 volume.
When twelve-year-old Andy Thomas interviews his relatives
for a family history assignment, he discovers a long-hidden
scandal. Generations before, his ancestor Coley Joe Bonner
supposedly ran away with his father's money. Andy's
great-aunt refuses to discuss it, but after seeing a photo
of Coley, Andy is determined to clear Coley's name. For
grades 3-6. 1996.
BR 11385.
##

The Dancing Fox: Arctic Folktales.
BR 11387.
edited by John Bierhorst.
1 volume.
A collection of eighteen folktales from Alaska, Canada, and
Greenland. In these ancient tales, animals can take human
form and magic often plays a role. The stories highlight
Inuit traditions and express the human experiences of death,
hunger, sadness, and joy. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
1997.
BR 11387.
##

Purely Rosie Pearl.
BR 11390.
by Patricia A. Cochrane.
1 volume.
In 1936, Rosie Pearl, twelve, and her family have been
migrant workers since the Great Depression forced them to
sell the family farm. Her new friendship with Maggie, who at
first seems "too snooty to be a picker," helps Rosie Pearl
through a summer of tough times. For grades 5-8. 1996.
BR 11390.
##

Meet Josefina: An American Girl.
BR 11391.
by Valerie Tripp.
1 volume.
In 1824 nine-year-old Josefina lives with her father and
three sisters on a rancho near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The
girls try hard to take care of things the way Mama did
before she died the previous year. When their grandfather
comes for a visit, they are surprised by the guest he
brings--Tia Dolores, their mother's sister. Prequel to
_Josefina Learns a Lesson (BR 11392)_. For grades 2-4. 1997.
BR 11391.
##

Josefina Learns a Lesson: A School Story.
BR 11392.
by Valerie Tripp.
1 volume.
Tia Dolores has returned to help Josefina and her sisters
learn how to do many of the things their mother would have
taught them. But one of Josefina's sisters is afraid that
learning new things, like reading and writing, will make
them forget Mama. Sequel to _Meet Josefina (BR 11391)_. For
grades 2-4. 1997.
BR 11392.
##

Josefina's Surprise: A Christmas Story.
BR 11393.
by Valerie Tripp.
1 volume.
Christmas is near and Josefina, her sisters, and their aunt
are getting ready. It has been a year since the girls lost
their mother, and they hope this Christmas will be a little
happier. But when they take out the altar cloth their mother
made, they find it has been ruined by the flood earlier in
the year. Sequel to _Josefina Learns a Lesson (BR 11392)_.
For grades 2-4. 1997.
BR 11393.
##

Stargone John.
BR 11396.
by Ellen Kindt McKenzie.
1 volume.
From the first day Liza's little brother, John, joins her in
the one-room schoolhouse, he is in trouble. Their teacher
whacks him for being "stargone"--unresponsive to his
lessons. In desperation Liza takes him to her retired
teacher, who is now blind. Soon John begins amazing his
classmates. For grades 3-6. 1990.
BR 11396.
##

The Music of Dolphins.
BR 11397.
by Karen Hesse.
1 volume.
An adolescent girl is captured by the Coast Guard,
separating her from the dolphin family that raised her.
Believing they rescued her, doctors name her Mila, for
"miracle," and try to teach her human skills. But Mila
misses her dolphin family and longs for her home in the warm
sea. She questions the wisdom of the doctors and whose life
is better. For grades 5-8. 1996.
BR 11397.
##

Sun and Spoon.
BR 11400.
by Kevin Henkes.
1 volume.
After the death of his beloved grandmother, ten-year-old
Spoon pockets Gram's special deck of solitaire cards as a
keepsake. When his grandfather becomes nostalgic and
searches for the missing cards, Spoon returns the deck in
exchange for another memento with a very special meaning.
For grades 4-7. 1997.
BR 11400.
##

The Friends.
BR 11432.
by Kazumi Yumoto.
1 volume.
Three Japanese sixth-grade boys who are longtime friends
decide to find out about death. They hear about an old man
who is supposed to die any day, and they decide to spy on
him. But their original plan slowly changes after the old
man discovers them stalking him. For grades 5-8. 1996.
BR 11432.
##

The Schernoff Discoveries.
BR 11442.
by Gary Paulsen.
1 volume.
Science whiz Harold Schernoff and his best friend, both
fourteen years old, are the most unpopular students in their
Minnesota junior high school. Harold devises schemes to
boost their popularity, but the plans usually backfire. When
members of the football team break his slide rule, Harold
takes revenge by making them a unique chocolate cake. For
grades 5-8. 1997.
BR 11442.
##

The Window.
BR 11455.
by Jeanette Ingold.
1 volume.
Fifteen-year-old Mandy is blinded in a car accident that
took the life of her mother. Sent to live with unknown
great-uncles and -aunts, Mandy elects to attend the local
high school. With the help of voices from the past, Mandy
learns to understand and accept her new family. For grades
6-9. 1996.
BR 11455.
##

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
BR 11466.
by Roald Dahl.
1 volume.
Five children win a coveted tour of Mr. Willy Wonka's
Chocolate Factory. Four of the children meet disaster at
their own hands, but a deserving boy wins both the day and
the factory. For grades 4-7. 1964.
BR 11466.
##

Fudge-a-mania.
BR 11468.
by Judy Blume.
1 volume.
The Tubmans and Hatchers are sharing a summer home in Maine,
throwing together five-year-old Fudge, his older brother
Peter, and Peter's archenemy Sheila "Queen of Cooties"
Tubman for three long weeks. Mayhem becomes the order of the
day as children, adults, and pets find themselves in one
predicament after another. Companion to _Superfudge (BR
11448)_ and _Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (BR
11472)_. For grades 3-6. 1990.
BR 11468.
##

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.
BR 11471.
by Judy Blume.
1 volume.
Peter finds his two-year-old brother, Fudge, an
ever-increasing problem as the child proceeds to get lost at
the movies and eats Peter's pet turtle. For grades 3-5.
1972.
BR 11471.
##

Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great.
BR 11472.
by Judy Blume.
1 volume.
Although Sheila pretends to be knowledgeable, witty, and
afraid of nothing, she secretly fears dogs, spiders, pools,
thunder, ghosts, and the dark. A summer away from home
brings out all her fears. For grades 4-7. 1972.
BR 11472.
##

Out of the Dark.
BR 11476.
by Welwyn Wilton Katz.
2 volumes.
After his mother is killed, Ben's family moves to his
father's Newfoundland boyhood home. Ben's younger brother
makes friends with the local boys, but Ben avoids them,
escaping into the fantasy world of the nearby Viking
settlement, armed with stories his mother had told him. For
grades 6-9. 1996.
BR 11476.
##

The Underground: Animorphs, Volume 17.
BR 11495.
by K.A. Applegate.
2 volumes.
Rachel and her four friends are able to morph into any
animal. They are all flying around as large birds when
Rachel telepathically directs them to catch a man jumping
from a building. It appears the man's brain has been invaded
by Yeerks. Rachel plots to destroy the Yeerks with an
ordinary breakfast food, but it is a risky, dangerous
venture. For grades 4-7. 1998.
BR 11495.
##

The Polar Express.
BR 12001.
by Chris Van Allsburg.
1 volume.
On a dark Christmas Eve, a boy boards a mysterious train,
the Polar Express, hoping to visit Santa Claus. He and the
other children, still in their nightclothes, drink hot
chocolate and sing carols as the train races through snowy
landscapes toward a huge city at the North Pole.
PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3 and older readers. Caldecott
Medal. 1985.
BR 12001.
##

###
_Braille Magazines_                      

The following is a list of braille magazines in the Library
of Congress program.  Readers may obtain free personal
subscriptions to these magazines.  For information
on the availability of specific magazines, consult the
library that send you braille materials.
                                                          
Boys' Life (for children and teens, monthly)
Braille Book Review (bimonthly)
Braille Chess Magazine (British quarterly)
Braille Music Magazine (British monthly)
Conundrum (British monthly)
Cooking Light (bimonthly [3] and monthly [6]) 
Harper's (monthly)
Health Newsletters (includes Harvard Health Letter, Mayo
     Clinic Health Letter, and University of California at
     Berkeley Wellness Letter; monthly) 
Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine (monthly)
Ladies' Home Journal (monthly)
Martha Stewart Living (10 issues)
Muse (for children; 6 issues) 
The Musical Mainstream (quarterly)
National Geographic (monthly)
The New York Times Large Type Weekly (weekly)
News (NLS quarterly)
Parenting (monthly except January and July)
PC World (monthly) 
Playboy (monthly)
Poetry (monthly)
Popular Communications (monthly)
Popular Mechanics (monthly)
Popular Music Lead Sheets (irregular)
Rolling Stone (26 issues) 
Science News (weekly)
Seventeen (for teens, monthly)
Short Stories (British monthly)
Spider: The Magazine for Children (monthly) 
Sport (monthly)
Stone Soup (for children, 5 issues)
Update (NLS quarterly)
The Washington Post Book World (weekly)

The following sports schedules are also available:
American Baseball League Schedule
National Baseball League Schedule
National Basketball Association Schedule
National Football League Schedule
National Hockey League Schedule