Hardcover Fiction

1. FORD COUNTY, by John Grisham. Stories set in rural Mississippi.
2. THE LOST SYMBOL, by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon among the Masons.
3. KINDRED IN DEATH, by J. D. Robb.  Lt. Eve Dallas investigates the brutal murder of a colleague’s daughter; by Nora Roberts, writing pseudonymously.
4. THE GATHERING STORM, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.  Book 12 of the Wheel of Time fantasy series.
5. THE LACUNA, by Barbara Kingsolver. A young American growing up in Mexico becomes friends with Diego Rivera, Frieda Kahlo and Leon Trotsky; later, in the United States, he is menaced by ­McCarthyism.

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, by Mitch Albom.  A suburban rabbi and a Detroit pastor teach lessons about the comfort of belief.
2. SUPERFREAKONOMICS, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.  A scholar and a journalist apply economic thinking to everything: the sequel.
3. WHAT THE DOG SAW, by Malcolm Gladwell. A decade of New Yorker essays.
4. ARGUING WITH IDIOTS, written and edited by Glenn Beck, Kevin Balfe and others.  The case against big government.
5. THE BOOK OF BASKETBALL, by Bill Simmons.  ESPN.com’s Sports Guy crunches big questions in N.B.A. history.

Paperback Trade Fiction

1. PUSH, by Sapphire.  An abused, illiterate 16-year-old in Harlem meets a teacher who helps change her life; the basis for the film “Precious.”
2. BED OF ROSES, by Nora Roberts.  A wedding florist has her eye on her business partner’s brother’s best friend; Book 2 in the Bride Quartet.
3. SAY YOU’RE ONE OF THEM, by Uwem Akpan.  Stories set in Africa, told from the point of view of wise and resilient children.
4. THE SHACK, by William P. Young.  A man whose daughter was abducted is invited to an isolated shack, apparently by God.
5. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson.  A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of a Swedish heiress.

Paperback Mass-Market Fiction

1. BORN OF FIRE, by Sherrilyn Kenyon. The bounty hunter Shahara Dagan must decide whether to bring Syn, an assassin and family friend, to justice; a League novel.
2. THE ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham. An idealistic law-school graduate is forced to take a job at a large, brutalizing law firm.
3. CROSS COUNTRY, by James Patterson.  Alex Cross chases the leader of a teenage gang.
4. YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME, by Dean Koontz. A man is stalked by a woman who resembles the donor of the heart he received in a transplant operation.
5. ANGELS AT CHRISTMAS, by Debbie Macomber.  A reissue of two stories: “Those Christmas Angels” (2003) and “Where Angels Go” (2007).

Paperback Non-Fiction

1. THE BLIND SIDE, by Michael Lewis.  The evolving business of football, viewed through the rise of the left tackle Michael Oher.
2. OUR CHOICE, by Al Gore.  The former vice president offers a plan for solving the climate crisis with the tools we have now.
3. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
4. FREAKONOMICS, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.  A scholar and a journalist apply economic theory to nearly everything.
5. THE GLASS CASTLE, by Jeannette Walls. The author recalls a bizarre childhood during which she and her siblings moved constantly.

Hardcover Advice

1. IT’S YOUR TIME, by Joel Osteen. Prayers, stories and tools for moving forward in Christian faith.
2. THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS, by Ree Drummond.  Cowboy-tested recipes from the proprietor of ThePioneerWoman.com.
3. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2010, edited by Craig Glenday. Tallest, fastest, youngest, most.
4. KNOCKOUT, by Suzanne Somers.  Advice and interviews with doctors offering innovative cancer treatments.
5. REINVENTING THE BODY, RESURRECTING THE SOUL, by Deepak Chopra.  Ten steps for self-transformation.

Paperback Advice

1. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  Advice for parents-to-be.
2. NEW MOON, by Mark Cotta Vaz.  The illustrated companion to the movie based on the second book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight vampire romance series.
3. MORE DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES, by Guy Fieri with Ann Volkwein. Another culinary road trip, with recipes.
4. THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, by Gary Chapman.  How to communicate love in a way a spouse will understand.
5. BUY KETCHUP IN MAY AND FLY AT NOON, by Mark Di Vincenzo.  Lots of answers to the question “What’’s the best time to … ?”

Children’s Picture Books

1. SPLENDIFEROUS CHRISTMAS, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.  There’s no such thing as too much tinsel for Fancy Nancy. (Ages 4 to
2. THE CHRISTMAS SWEATER, adapted by Chris Schoebinger from the story by Glenn Beck. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman..  Seeking the meaning of Christmas. (Ages 4 to 7)
3. LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft.  An annotated visual dictionary. (Ages 7 and up)
4. NUBS, by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery and Kirby Larson.  A wild dog in Iraq makes a friend for life. (Ages 4 to
5. WADDLE!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. Animals in motion, with color. (Ages 4 to

Children’s Chapter Books

1. CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins.The protagonist of “The Hunger Games” returns. (Ages 12 and up)
2. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up).
3. THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT, by Kate DiCamillo and Yoko Tanaka.  An orphan in search of his sister follows a fortuneteller’s mysterious instructions. (Ages 7 and up)
4. MILLION-DOLLAR THROW, by Mike Lupica.  In tough economic times, the pressure is on for a young quarterback with an unusual opportunity. (Ages 9 to 12)
5. TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster,  A novel in verse about five teenagers who become prostitutes. (Ages 14 and up)

Children’s Paperback Books

1. THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. A girl saves books from Nazi burning and shares them with a Jewish man in hiding. (Ages 14 and up)
2. BLUE MOON, by Alyson Noël.  An immortal girl. (Ages 12 and up)
3. EVERMORE, by Alyson Noël.  Immortals in school. (Ages 12 and up)
4. THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Ellen Forney.  A young boy leaves his reservation for an all-white school. (Ages 12 and up)
5. THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)

Children’s Series Books

1. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.  A boy records the hazards of adolescent life. (Ages 9 to 12)
2. THE TWILIGHT SERIES, by Stephenie Meyer. Vampires and werewolves in high school. (Ages 12 and up)
3. HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)
4. THE 39 CLUES, by various authors. A brother and sister travel the world in search of the key to their family’s power. (Ages 9 to 12)
5. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan.  Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)

Hardcover Graphic Books

1. THE BOOK OF GENESIS: ILLUSTRATED, by R. Crumb. The legendary artist tackles the first book of the Bible.
2. FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS, by Geoff Johns and George Perez.  When facing a seemingly unstoppable assemblage of their enemies, the Legion recruits other-dimensional versions of themselves for help.
3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, by Nancy Butler and Hugo Petrus. Jane Austen’s classic tale gets the graphic novel treatment.
4. THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young. Dorothy travels to the land of OZ, graphic novel style.
5. ULTIMATUM, by Jeph Loeb and David Finch. The end, and rebirth, of Marvel’s “Ultimate” universe, in which its classic heroes were re-imagined for modern times, happens here.

Paperback Graphic Books

1. LOGICOMIX – AN EPIC SEARCH FOR TRUTH, by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos and Annie Di Donna.  The life of the philosopher and logician Bertrand Russell, and his passion for mathematics, is recounted in this graphic novel.
2. THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE: RECORDED ATTACKS, by Max Brooks. If you want to survive a zombie attack, there may be no better way than to see how past cultures have done it.
3. WATCHMEN, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
4. V FOR VENDETTA, by Alan Moore, K. C. Carlson and David Lloyd.  In a dystopian future, an anarchist sets out to topple the oppressive and totalitarian government of the United Kingdom.
5. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON 8, VOL. 5, by various. Will things ever get better for Buffy? Now she has to deal with “Harmony Bites,” a reality show starring a former-classmate-and-current-vampire. Plus: more from the mysterious Twilight.

Manga

1. VAMPIRE KNIGHT, VOL. 8, by Matsuri Hino. Cross Academy has day and evening students, but the latter have a secret: they are vampires.
2. NARUTO 46, by Masashi Kishimoto.  Naruto’s friends are threatened, the mysteries of Pain deepen and Naruto must fight to protect his village.
3. NEGIMA! MAGISTER NEGI MAGI, VOL. 24, by Ken Akamatsu.  Negi, the boy wizard, takes part in the Festival of Ostia, which includes a martial arts tournament. Will a team of bounty hunters ruin the plans for the day?
4. OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB, VOL. 13, by Bisco Hatori. Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich school, is forced to work – as a boy – for the school’s all-male club.
5. BLACK BIRD, VOL. 2, by Kanoko Sakurakoji.  Misao Harada can see into a magical realm where she is the bride demon of prophecy. How will she survive the pursuit of demons who want the power in her blood?

Source: The New York Times Best Seller List

Hardcover Fiction

1. THE LOST SYMBOL, by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon among the Masons.
2. THE SCARPETTA FACTOR, by Patricia Cornwell. Apparent threats on Kay Scarpetta’s life make her hesitate when a TV producer wants her to star in a show.
3. PURSUIT OF HONOR, by Vince Flynn. The counterterrorism operative Mitch Rapp must teach politicians about national security following a new Qaeda attack.
4. NINE DRAGONS, by Michael Connelly. The Los Angeles detective Harry Bosch fights crime at home and in Hong Kong
5. THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett.  A young white woman and two black maids in 1960s ­Mississippi.

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, by Mitch Albom.  A suburban rabbi and a Detroit pastor teach lessons about the comfort of belief.
2. SUPERFREAKONOMICS, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.  A scholar and a journalist apply economic thinking to everything: the sequel.
3. WHAT THE DOG SAW, by Malcolm Gladwell. A decade of New Yorker essays.
4. TOO BIG TO FAIL, by Andrew Ross Sorkin. ( The 2008 financial implosion on Wall Street and in Washington, by a New York Times reporter and columnist.
5. ARGUING WITH IDIOTS, written and edited by Glenn Beck, Kevin Balfe and others.  The case against big government.

Paperback Trade Fiction

1. PUSH, by Sapphire.  An abused, illiterate 16-year-old in Harlem meets a teacher who helps change her life; the basis for the film “Precious.”
2. THE SHACK, by William P. Young.  A man whose daughter was abducted is invited to an isolated shack, apparently by God.
3. OLIVE KITTERIDGE, by Elizabeth Strout.  A seventh-grade math teacher is the link in 13 stories set on the Maine coast; a 2009 Pulitzer winner.
4. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson.  A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of a Swedish heiress.
5. SAY YOU’RE ONE OF THEM, by Uwem Akpan.  Stories set in Africa, told from the point of view of wise and resilient children.

Paperback Mass-Market Fiction

1. THE ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham. An idealistic law-school graduate is forced to take a job at a large, brutalizing law firm.
2. CROSS COUNTRY, by James Patterson.  Alex Cross chases the leader of a teenage gang.
3. HEAT LIGHTNING, by John Sandford. Virgil Flowers investigates a string of murders in which a lemon was left in the mouth of each victim.
4. TRUE DETECTIVES, by Jonathan Kellerman. In the 24th Alex Delaware novel, the interracial half-brothers from “Bones” investigate a young woman’s death.
5. SCARPETTA, by Patricia Cornwell. The forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta takes on a new assignment in New York.

Paperback Non-Fiction

1. I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL, by Tucker Max.  Life as a self-absorbed, drunken womanizer.
2. FREAKONOMICS, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.  A scholar and a journalist apply economic theory to nearly everything.
3. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
4. THE GLASS CASTLE, by Jeannette Walls. The author recalls a bizarre childhood during which she and her siblings moved constantly.
5. THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE, by Max Brooks.The comedy writer offers a plan for safeguarding yourself from the living dead.

Hardcover Advice

1. KNOCKOUT, by Suzanne Somers.  Advice and interviews with doctors offering innovative cancer treatments.
2. JIM CRAMER’S GETTING BACK TO EVEN, by James J. Cramer with Cliff Mason. The “Mad Money” host offers advice for investing in a changed market.
3. THE CONSCIOUS COOK, by Tal Ronnen. Vegan recipes to appeal to meat-eaters.
4. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2010, edited by Craig Glenday. Tallest, fastest, youngest, most.
5. THE KIND DIET, by Alicia Silverstone. The actress’s recipes and insights for going meat- and dairy-free.

Paperback Advice

1. NEW MOON, by Mark Cotta Vaz.  The illustrated companion to the movie based on the second book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight vampire romance series.
2. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  Advice for parents-to-be.
3. THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, by Gary Chapman.  How to communicate love in a way a spouse will understand.
4. THE POWER OF NOW, by Eckhart Tolle. A guide to personal growth and spiritual enlightenment.
5. SKINNY BITCH, by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.  Vegan diet advice from the world of modeling.

Children’s Picture Books

1. LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft.  An annotated visual dictionary. (Ages 7 and up)
2. JULIE ANDREWS’S COLLECTION OF POEMS, SONGS, AND LULLABIES, by Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Andrews. Illustrated by James McMullan.. All of the above, by various authors, plus a CD. (Ages 4 to
3. SKIPPYJON JONES, LOST IN SPICE, by Judy Schachner. The peppery red planet captures a cat’s fancy. (Ages 4 to
4. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, by Barb Bersche and Michelle Quint.  A movie tie-in adapted from the screenplay based on the children’s classic. (Ages 9 to 12)
5. LISTEN TO THE WIND: THE STORY OF DR. GREG AND “THREE CUPS OF TEA”, by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth.  A school grows in Pakistan. (Ages 4 to

Children’s Chapter Books

1. CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins.The protagonist of “The Hunger Games” returns. (Ages 12 and up)
2. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up).
3. THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT, by Kate DiCamillo and Yoko Tanaka.  An orphan in search of his sister follows a fortuneteller’s mysterious instructions. (Ages 7 and up)
4. TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins. (McElderry/Simon & Schuster,  A novel in verse about five teenagers who become prostitutes. (Ages 14 and up)
5. SHIVER, by Maggie Stiefvater.  Love among the lupine. (Ages 12 and up)

Children’s Paperback Books

1. THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. A girl saves books from Nazi burning and shares them with a Jewish man in hiding. (Ages 14 and up)
2. THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)
3. DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. A school for psychic teens. (Ages 14 and up)
4. THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Ellen Forney.  A young boy leaves his reservation for an all-white school. (Ages 12 and up)
5. BLUE MOON, by Alyson Noël.  An immortal girl. (Ages 12 and up)

Children’s Series Books

1. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.  A boy records the hazards of adolescent life. (Ages 9 to 12)
2. THE TWILIGHT SERIES, by Stephenie Meyer. Vampires and werewolves in high school. (Ages 12 and up)
3. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan.  Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)
4. VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith.  Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)
5. THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY, by Trenton Lee Stewart.  Gifted kids undertake a mission. (Ages 9 to 12)

Hardcover Graphic Books

1. THE BOOK OF GENESIS: ILLUSTRATED, by R. Crumb. The legendary artist tackles the first book of the Bible.
2. ABSOLUTE DEATH, by Neil Gaiman, Chris Bachalo and Mark Buckingham.  Death, the upbeat sister of Dream, is one of the best characters that emerged from the critically-acclaimed “Sandman” series. This over-sized collected edition contains two mini-series devoted to this very different incarnation of the Grim Reaper.
3. STITCHES: A MEMOIR, by David Small.  The author recalls his life, including an operation at age 14 that leaves his voice barely above a whisper, in this graphic memoir.
4. BATMAN: CACOPHONY, by Kevin Smith and Walter Flanagan.  The Dark Knight squares off against Onomatopoeia, who murders superheroes for sport, and the Joker is caught in the middle.
5. THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young. Dorothy travels to the land of OZ, graphic novel style.

Paperback Graphic Books

1. THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE: RECORDED ATTACKS, by Max Brooks. If you want to survive a zombie attack, there may be no better way than to see how past cultures have done it.
2. JACK OF FABLES, VOL. 6, by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges.  In this latest collection of the monthly series, Jack lead’s the attack on Revise’s compound and more is revealed about his relationships between Jack and the Page sisters.
3. WATCHMEN, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
4. BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.  This compelling mystery, set early in the Caped Crusader’s career, has mobsters, the sad downfall of Harvey Dent (Two Face) and a new foe: Holiday.
5. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON 8, VOL. 5, by various. Will things ever get better for Buffy? Now she has to deal with “Harmony Bites,” a reality show starring a former-classmate-and-current-vampire. Plus: more from the mysterious Twilight.

Manga

1. NARUTO 46, by Masashi Kishimoto.  Naruto’s friends are threatened, the mysteries of Pain deepen and Naruto must fight to protect his village.
2. ROSARIO VAMPIRE, VOL. 9, by Akihisa Ikeda. Tsukune Aono’s new school is filled with vampires and werewolves. How is a human teenager to survive?
3. SOUL EATER, VOL. 1, by Atsushi Ohkubo. Maka, an arms expert, wants to turn the Soul Eater, her living scythe, into the ultimate weapon for Death.
4. DEATH NOTE: L, CHANGE THE WORLD, by M. The detective known as L is scheduled to die in 23 days. That leaves him with 22 days to stop a terrorist group from unleashing a virus upon the world.
5. YU-GI-OH! R, VOl. 1., by Akira Ito and Kazuki Takahashi.  Yugi, the king of games, must face off against Yako Tenma, the protege of a Maxmilion Pegasus, who Yugi had previously vanquished.
6. CHIBI VAMPIRE, VOL. 14, by Yuna Kagesaki.  Karin, a vampire who every month bleeds profusely from her nose, is kidnapped by a gang of vampires who want to use her blood for their own survival.

Source: The New York Times Best Seller List

I love to read literature set in Africa, so it’s  my hope that you will find some great new reads.  Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive by any means.  The books listed here are a result of my call for entries as well as some filling in of a few books that I hated to see not included.  Each book has a link over to the Book Blogs Google Custom Search Engine so you can get even more opinions.

Also, I know that there are some other great books out there (even I didn’t list all the African books I’ve reviewed), so I have included a Mr. Linky at the end of this post.  If you have a book review that is African in nature that was not included, I’d love for you to link it up so we have even more books listed!

A meme!  If you have a blog, I have included a meme at the end of this post so you can discuss African books on your own blog and link over to the carnival.  Feel free to participate, regardless of whether or not you have a book review listed here.  I would love to know your thoughts!

If you don’t have a blog, I’d love to hear in the comments which books you’ve read and which ones caught your eye.

Botswana

• The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith reviewed by Heather at The Maiden’s Court.  The first of 10 books that focus on the life of Precious Ramotswe and her fledgling detective agency.  “One of the most interesting things about this book is that you learn so much about African culture and the beauty of the nature. Africa doesn’t usually end up in best selling fiction very often.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Whatever You Do, Don’t Run: The Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison reviewed by Alyce at At Home with Books.  The memoir of a well-known safari guide Alyce says, “If you have ever wondered what it would be like to go on safari in Africa, then I would recommend this memoir. It was so much fun to read that I still find myself chuckling at some of the stories a couple of weeks after reading it.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Burundi

• The Violets of Usambara by Mary Soderstrom reviewed by Melanie by The Indextrious Reader.  “This novel is a short one, and is the tale of a couple whose lives are at the cusp of change. Thomas Brossard is a former government minister who is out of work due to a change in government. His wife Louise, always the driving force in his life, has suggested he go to Africa with a Catholic charity . . . . This a very adult book in its quiet and understated narrative style.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Congo

• Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad reviewed by J.T at Bibliofreak.  At a short 72 pages, J.T says, “This is possibly the most symbolic book I’ve ever read, and still one of my favorites.  It’s a novella, but don’t let the short length fool you–its not a light read.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver reviewed by Tracie at YuleTime Reading.  “About a Baptist minister who brings his family to Africa to act as missionaries in the 1950’s . . . [it] is a haunting tale that follows the lives of five women until the end of their days. The multiple layers of this novel make it an intensely interesting read. From the clash of two cultures, to the politics of the Congo, to the bond every mother knows with her child, this is definitely a must read that will stay with you long after you close the last page.”  
  • The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver was also reviewed by Caitlin at Chaotic Compendiums who had a critical eye.  “Despite these criticisms, this is a book worth reading, if only for the very last chapter which is in the voice of my favorite character, Ruth May. That along with many moments of beautiful physical description scattered throughout the book make it a worthwhile read, if one that is sometimes incredibly frustrating.”
  • Also reviewed by J.T at Bibliofreak, more book blogger reviews.

• King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam Hochschild reviewed by Rhapsody in Books.  “Hochschild is to be commended for trying to bring this true horror story back to life. There is still a need to learn from the dangers of power and greed. As he concludes, “At the time of the Congo controversy a hundred years ago, the idea of full human rights, political, social, and economic, was a profound threat to the established order of most countries on earth. It still is today”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Egypt

• The Beggar by Naguib Mahfouz reviewed by Rose City Reader.  “This novella takes on the biggest “political” issue of all – the meaning of life. Omar’s tale is a metaphor for the “midlife crisis” of modern Egypt, 17 years after its 1952 revolution, as both Omar and the country search for meaning after achieving worldly success.”
  • More book blogger reviews.
    
• The View from Garden City by Carolyn Baugh reviewed by Swapna at S. Krishna’s Books.  “At its core,[it's] a novel about women, beautifully written and enhanced by the amazingly detailed descriptions of life in modern Cairo. Baugh doesn’t preach or have any sort of nefarious intentions but leaves the reader to make up his or her own mind about the message of the novel and of each of the stories”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Ethiopia

• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese reviewed by Chris at Book-a-Rama.  About the lives of mirror twins born of the illicit affair between a surgeon and a nun, “The setting of Ethiopia is exotic, interesting and beautiful. Every character is well created, you can’t help but love them (except for one or two). The story is both entertaining and engaging. I enjoyed so much of the book, but… it was a massive book  [. . .] but there was something about it that just didn’t float my boat the way it did for other reviewers who thought it was awesome.”
  • Also reviewed by SuziQoregon at Whimpulsive who said that it read more like a memoir than fiction and she got emotionally involved in the book.
  • Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese was also reviewed by Hannah at Word Lily.  “I was, at turns, sort of dreading, expecting that the best of the book had passed and the rest would be downhill; and irresistibly, hopefully, pulled along. The characters are remarkably resilient through hardship and pain. I’ve read books with a stronger sense of place, but this setting did indeed draw me in. This book has a little of everything.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Of Beetles & Angels, A Boy’s Remarkable Journey From a Refugee Camp to Harvard by Mawi Asgedom reviewed by Natasha at Maw Books. “There are some great discussion questions in the back, and even Ethiopian recipes.  This book gives a great insight into the struggles of new immigrants adjusting to a new culture and mourning for loss of home.  Asgedom’s story is inspiring”

Ghana

• Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey reviewed by Dawn at She is Too Fond of Books.  A murder mystery set against the modern and traditional ways of African culture, Dawn said,  “When I read a mystery I don’t try to solve the case, I allow the author to do the work by unraveling the tangle of clues for me.  Quartey left some breadcrumbs that, in retropect, might have led me in the right direction if I had put any energy into it; but I prefer the leisurely pace of solving it on Dawson’s timetable, piecing the clues together through his eyes.  It was a very satisfying mystery.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

Kenya

• 14 Cows for America reviewed by Alison at  A Novel Idea.  Alison says, “The artwork in the book is breathtaking and the story almost lyrical. It is a picture book with great depth. This is a story that will remain on my shelf for life. This is a story of compassion that I will take off the shelf and remind my children of regularly.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Burn My Heart by Beverley Naidoo reviewed by Terry at The Reading Tub A historical fiction novel set in the 1950’s in Kenya, Terry says that Burn by Heart is exceptional and a wonderfully crafted story and “it’s a book meant for readers pre-teen through adult. It is destined to open some wonderfully thoughtful, candid discussions that are as relevant today as they would have been in 1951.”    Terry has additional information about the book on the Reading Tub website as well.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Also check out this list of Kenyan book recommendations compiled from Rebecca at Lost in Books.

Liberia

• When God Says Go by Lorry Lutz reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviewer.  “This book is a biography of an amazing black American woman who worked as a missionary in the jungles of Liberia from 1913 to 1972. The story briefly covers her parent’s lives as slaves, her childhood, and her education. It also briefly describes the founding of Liberia and the history of Christianity there.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Malawi

• The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamka and Bryan Mealer reviewed by Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea.  A memoir which is one of those rare stories you won’t want to miss, Diane says, “One of the most inspiring books that I have read in a long time, I’m pretty sure this book will touch most readers deeply, like it did to me. I know this story will stay with me for a long time to come.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis reviewed by Natasha at Maw Books.  “Binti’s journey is one that you’ll want to take.  I loved watching her transformation from a proud, selfish child, being humbled as a orphan, and rising above her circumstances to help those around her.  I highly recommend The Heaven Shop for great insight on such a troubling subject [AIDS].

Mali

• Monique and the Mango Rains:  Two Years with a Midwife in Mali by Kris Halloway reviewed by Lisa at Books on the Brain.  A wonderful memoir, “themes in the book include family relationships, poverty, religious differences, the place of women in African society, hunger, malnutrition, power struggles, parenting, birth control, marriage, childbirth, volunteerism, and community. Holloway is respectful of the people and their culture and never has that too-frequent American way of being condescending.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

Mozambique

• Secrets in the Fire by Henning Mankell reviewed by Andromeda at A Wrung Sponge.  “I cried all the way through. It’s a heartbreaking story based on the life of a real girl living in Mozambique. While running to the fields to work with her mother and sister she stepped off the path once and landed on a land mine. Her sister was killed and she almost died. She lost both of her legs”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Nigeria

• Amadi’s Snowman by Katia Novet Saint-Lot reviewed by Maw Books.  A picture book about literacy and new cultures, it “is an excellent addition to the multi-cultural library, or any library, for that fact.”

• Half of a Yellow-Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reviewed by Susan at Pages Turned.  Susan says, “Adichie depicts the early days of Nigeria’s independence, the massacre of thousands of Igbo living in the Muslim north in 1966, and the Biafran War that followed as the Igbo attempt to form their own country. From personal loyalties and estrangements to air raids and famine in the refuge camps, Adichie hones in on the telling details that will keep me mulling over this book for a long time to come.”  I found that I had left a comment on this review when she first posted it saying that I wanted to read it.  And I did!
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Little Bee by Chris Cleave reviewed by Heather at Age 30+ . . . A Lifetime of Books.  Heather says that it’s better to not know anything about this book.  So I’m going to trust here and not say anything here either.  But wow, that cover!  It just screams read me!
  • Also reviewed by SuziQoregon at Whimpulsive who said, “Wow – this book impressed me a lot. The writing is the kind where I could have easily marked a sentence or paragraph on nearly every page. I really think that at some point I want to go back and re-read this one slowly just to be able to appreciate the many gems.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reviewed by Heather at Book Addiction who says “What I loved about Purple Hibiscus is that Kambili is just like any other teen stuck in a family situation that isn’t the greatest.  She has to deal with her oppressive, abusive father, and with her passive mother, and with navigating her way through life while trying to follow the rules her father (and her church) has set for her.”
  • Also reviewed by Mee at Books of Mee who said that the book reminded her of the book The Color Purple.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe reviewed by Trixie at Reading and Writing About It.  “I thought it was fascinating to see the clash between traditional African society and the influence of British rule” in this book about Okonkwo and British colinization.
  • More book blogger reviews.

Rwanda

• As We Forgive: Stories of Reconciliation from Rwanda by Catherine Claire Larson reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviews.  A new release, “This book tells seven personal stories of experiences during the genocide, its aftermath, and how they came to forgiveness. These accounts are intense, vivid, and powerful. The people in these stories came from different areas and had different experiences, giving the reader a good idea of what happened during the genocide and afterward. The book is worth reading for these stories alone.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin reviewed by Amanda at The Zen Leaf who compared it slightly in it’s subject matter to Deogratias (below).  She said, “I had to abandon Deogratias because it was too gruesome. Too graphically violent. I was scared I’d get the same thing here, but Baking Cakes was nothing like that. It was tactful in every sense of the word. It didn’t gloss over the things that happened in Rwanda, but it did approach the subject in a polite and non-gruesome way. I really appreciated that.”
  • Tam at Bailey’s and Books said, “interesting, at least to me, side note: In Gaile Parkin’s bio on the back of my ARC copy it notes, “Many of the stories told by characters in Baking Cakes in Kigali are based on or inspired by stories she was told during her work in Rwanda.” Not knowing much about Rwanda, to me, these stories in the book were both inspiring and important to know.”
  • Rebecca at Rebecca Reads also says that although it’s not a light read, “It shares a message of both tragedy (the story of the survivors [Rwandan genocide] and hope, for its ending message is that we can move on: there is a purpose to life, even after a horrendous tragedy.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda by J.P Stassen reviewed by Nymeth at Things Mean a Lot.  I LOVE the fact that we have a graphic novel included in this carnival.  She says, “I should start by warning you that I cried for something like half an hour after I finished this book, and that I’ve been thinking about it often ever since.”  If that’s not enough to make you click over to read the review she also says, “I’m the last person you’d catch telling others that they have some sort of moral obligation to read a book that will upset them. And yes, Deogratias is upsetting and relentlessly dark and depressing. It shows humans at their very worst, and no, there are no acts of kindness to counterbalance that. So, you know. I’m sure you all know your limits as readers enough to be able to tell whether or not this would be too much for you.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Emmanuel Kolini: The Unlikely Archbishop of Rwanda reviewed by Heather at Age 30+ A Lifetime of Books.  Kolini takes up his post as Archbishop in the wake of the 1994 genocide. “This book is a brief biography of Kolini’s life, an overview of the ethnic conflicts in Rwandan history, and the story of how these two came together.”  Heather has some good and not so good things to say about the book.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Left to Tell:  Discovering God Admist the Genocide in Rwanda by Immaculee Ilibagiza reviewed by The Book Nook Club.  “What I felt most profoundly while reading this was that you choose how you feel about what life hands you, whatever your religious beliefs may be.  This woman chose to be thankful for what she had, not bitter over what she had lost. She chose to forgive in the face of hatred. Her attitude of tolerance and love is inspiring.  I would highly recommend it.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Also check out this list of book recommendations about the Rwandan Genocide.

Sierra Leone

• A Long Way Gone:  Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah reviewed by J.T at Bibliofreak.  “There has been some controversy over whether or not all of Beah’s claims really happened.  A newspaper said last year that none of it could have happened to one person and that there was a discrepancy about his dates.  Beah stands by his story, and you know what?  So do I.  Just because it seems unimaginable doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”
  • Rebecca at Lost in Books listened to this one on audio and said, “It was so heartbreaking at times I had to pause the CD and catch my breath. The descriptions of the people being murdered and even of Ishmael climbing the coconut tree when he was starving were so vivid I felt like I was actually there. The pictures in my mind were so crisp and clear.”
  • Also reviewed by Mee at Books of Mee who said, “The story is told fluidly. I never felt it slow down. It’s a good read from beginning til the end.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara reviewed by Kathleen at SMS Book Reviews.  A firsthand experience of the civil war in Sierra Leone is chilling: at the age of 12, Mariatu was attacked by young rebel soldiers, who cut off both of her hands. Mariatu’s account of her journey from war victim to UNICEF Special Representative inspires awe and hope.  “The book doesn’t only address the war that went on in Sierra Leone and the casulaties of that war. It also addresses what little has happened to help those still in the country.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Also check out this list of Sierra Leone book recommendations compiled from Rebecca at Lost in Books.

South Africa

• 92 Queens Road by Dianne Case reviewed by Chele at Hungry Readers.  A Middle Grade fiction book set in the ’60’s during apartheid , this book  “shows the experiences of young Kathy and her family under the system of laws. Throughout the text, six-year-old Kathy searches for her place in her young country and comes to grips with her lack of a father and status as a “coloured” person.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Beethoven Was One-Sixteenth Black by Nadine Gordimer reviewed by Rose City Reader.  A collection of short stories which is a “worthwhile collection of stories and a good introduction to Gordimer’s sophisticated writing. ”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee reviewed by Mee at Books of Mee.  The racial tension in South Africa is the topic of this book and Mee says, “As most racism, it usually occurs in more ‘uneducated’ places by ‘uneducated’ people. Not in the city where everybody is supposed to be smart and sophisticated, no. It happens in the corners of the town, in back suburbs, behind bushes and shadows. I should know. I experienced extreme racism for many years of my teenage life — the problem that is unconsciously stuck with you to the bone, the matter of ‘my people’ against ‘your people’ — all too familiar elements that made me queasy.
  
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Fish Notes and Star Songs by Diane Hofmeyr reviewed by Chele at Hungry Readers.  Fish Notes and Star Songs is a Young Adult novel that Chele says would make a great pairing with Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak.  “With some references to some African history and wildlife, [the book] explores themes of loss, empowerment, spirituality and of language and names, their significance and power.  While some people would argue that this story is a fantasy, others will see it as realistic with dimensions of spirituality.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Life and Times of Michael K. by J.M. Coetzee reviewed by Rose City Reader.  A Booker Winner from a Nobel laureatem, Rose City Reader said, “Despite the credentials, I did not like this book and I do not see the point of it.”  I personally didn’t like the one Coetzee book I’ve read so I was glad to see I’m not the only one have Coetzee trouble.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales by Nelson Mandela reviewed by Marta at Marta’s Meanderings.  “The audiobook brings his vision full circle, as these timeless tales return to the oral tradition to be heard around the world.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Out of Bounds:  Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope by Beverley Naidoo reviewed by Chele at Hungry Readers.  Consisting of seven short stories this book for middle grade readers “explore different events and conditions of Apartheid through South African children’s perspectives.  With varying degrees of hope, the protagonists face difficult choices and risk when deciding on what they believe about Apartheid depending on their various class and racial backgrounds.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Reading, Writing and Leaving Home: Life on the Page by Lynn Freed reviewed by Susan at Pages Turned.  Lynn Freed is a fiction author who grew up in South Africa before moving to the states and sets her fiction in South Africa.  Reading, Writing and Leaving Home is her story.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Scent of Oranges by Joan Zawatzky reviewed by Brooke at The Bluestocking Guide.  “I really enjoyed this book.  It was so sad, yet so poignant.  So many lives were ruined all because people judged others by the color of their skin and not by the type of person that they were.  The sad thing is that even though Apartheid ended problems remain.  There hasn’t been a happily ever after.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Sudan

• The Devil Came on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur by Brian Steidle reviewed by Ramya at Ramya’s Bookshelf.  “It is hard to imagine that this book is actually a memoir- that events described here are not figments of imagination from a psychotically deranged brain. They are actual events appening in a different part of the world. People are starving, getting killed mercilessly, getting raped, being turned out of their homes right as I type this review. It is really hard to imagine that everything said in the book is true.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Not On Our Watch, The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast reviewed by Becky at Becky’s Book Reviews.  “This book does three things essentially a) relates the authors first hand accounts of trying to help, a behind-the-scenes look at activism b) provides basic information about the political, social, cultural situations in Darfur and surrounding regions placing everything into context and c) gives tips on how ordinary people–Americans for the most part–can do their part to help.”
  Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Slave: My True Story by Mende Nazar reviewed by Heather at Book Addiction.  An amazing memoir,  Heather says, “I truly don’t have much else to say other than – Slave is absolutely a must-read.  I can’t emphasize that enough.  What a powerful, inspiring story.  I’m so glad I picked this book up and I truly believe you should too.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Tears of the Desert by Halima Bashir reviewed by Tracie at YuleTime Reading.  Tracie summarizes this amazing book (believe me, I know, I raved about it myself after I read it) as “follows Halima Bashir through her childhood in a remote African village, to her education at University, through her practicing of medicine and eventually to her escape from Darfur.  During her life, war and genocide loom over her as she tries desperately to avoid the conflict even though she see’s the affect of the war on her people in her work.  Eventually the war finds her and she must pay a horrible price for the help she has given her people.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• The Translator:  A Tribesman’s Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviewer.  “Daoud Hari tells his story in a very simple but a profoundly moving way. This is not a “fun” book, but it is an eye-opener to the reasons behind the conflict and is a first-hand look at what is really occurring in this area.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• What is the What by Dave Eggers excerpt shared  by Susan at Pages Turned.  A very poignant passage from an amazing book (which I also reviewed).  It’s one that I personally can’t recommend enough and even had both of my parents read so I was thrilled to see Susan share it with us as well.
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Also check out this list of book recommendations about the Darfur genocide.

Uganda

• First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria by Eve Waite- Brown reviewed by Jen at Devourer of Books.  The memoir of a Peace Corps worker in Uganda, Jen says, “I seriously very highly recommend this book, whether you’re an idealist who wants to go out and make the world better, someone who wishes they had the cajones to follow love and their ideals to third world countries, or someone who likes an entertaining story; in other words, basically everyone!”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• The Ghosts of Eden by Andrew Sharp reviewed by Jackie at Farm Lane Books Blog.  About two very different boys growing up in Uganda, Jackie says, “I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to read about African culture, without battling with symbolism or the endless horrors of war. It is a beautifully written story, and I think it has just become my favourite book with an African setting.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Zambia

• Sikulu & Harabe by the Zambezi River: An African Version of the Good Samaritan Story written by Kunle Oguneye and Illustrated by Bruce McCorkindale reviewed by Terry at The Reading Tub.   Her reviews says, “I highly recommend Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River.  It is storytelling at its best, with the lessons build into the story but still completely evident. The crayon-styled illustrations might lead you to think this is a book for only the youngest audiences. Preschoolers and Kindergartners will love this book, but so will kids up to third grade. The story itself and the lessons it offers will engage newly independent readers and offer a wonderful complement to the study of folklore and culture.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Zimbabwe

• The Boy Next Door by Irene Sabatini reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviewer.  “An engrossing novel that starts out as a mystery of sorts (did Ian really do it?) in which curiosity about her neighbor leads to friendship and then love. But it’s not an easy love.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by Peter Godwin reviewed by Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness.  “Godwin parallels this deeply personal memoir with the reporting he did about the destruction of the Republic of Zimbabwe under President Robert Mugabe.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

General/Multiple Countries

• Another Man’s War:  The True Story of One Man’s Battle to Save Children in the Sudan by Sam Childers reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviewer.  A memoir that tells the story of Sam Childers and of the children of southern Sudan and northern Uganda, Debbie says, “I’d recommend this book, especially to those who like incredible-but-true missionary stories, to soldiers who are Christians, and to those interested in what’s being done to help the children in southern Sudan and northern Uganda”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton reviewed by Chele at The Hungry Readers.  A Young Adult novel set in an imaginary African country, “Chanda manages preparing the funeral for her youngest sister, helping a best friend about whom rumors circulate, supporting a weakening mother, and watching many deal with a disease that affects many but remains stigmatized and unnamed.  Chanda juggles her secrets with a mix of fear, love and denial.  At the source of them all is AIDS, the unnamed killer.”
  • Also reviewed by Kathleen at SMS Book Reviews who says it was heartbreaking and “This is one of those books that is so good you don’t know what to say.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Copper Sun by Sharon Draper reviewed by Melissa at One Librarian’s Book Reviews.  The story of a girl taken from her home village in Africa by Slave Traders to America, Melissa says, “This book was haunting and awful and beautiful all wrapped up in one. Amari’s survival through the brutalities and hardships she faces as a slave is just amazing. Throughout the book, I wondered how people could survive these horrors. The answer testifies to the tenacity of the human spirit – hope.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Marsh Lions:  The Story of an African Pride by Brian Jackman and Jonathan Scott reviewed by Jeane at Dog Ear Diary. This book “is more than just a book about lions. It’s about the whole panorama of African wildlife living around the Musiara Marsh, on the borders of Kenya and Tanzania. It’s the product of five years that Jonathan Scott spent photographing animals in the Masai Mara, keeping detailed notes about their behavior and interactions. He later collaborated with Jackman to have the book written and published.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Middle Passage by Charles Johnson reviewed by J.T at Bibliofreak.  “This is a magical realism metaphor-laced book.  It’s gonna run away with you.  You might not love it.  I can’t say that I loved it.  But I did really like it.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• No Room in the Ark by Alan Moorehead reviewed by Jeane at Dog Ear Diary.  “This book describes the author’s various safaris to view wildlife in Africa during the 1950’s. I really enjoyed reading his vivid descriptions of the weather, landscape and animals- especially incidents where he came into closer contact with the wildlife. One night a hyena snuck into his tent and ate his leather boots right from under his cot!”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Papa , Do You Love Me? by  Barbara M. Joose reviewed by Brian at Book Dads.  A picture book for the younger crowd, “The warm earth tones of the illustrations perfectly complement the text and evoke images of the Serengeti, a Glossary at the end of the book explains about the Masaai culture.  Papa, Do You Love Me shows children that all fathers unconditionally love their children, no matter where (or how) they live.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan reviewed by Kathy at Bermudaonion.  Oprah’s newest book selection isn’t a fast read with it’s diaolouge written in often times difficult to dicipher dialect.  But Kathy says, “This book isn’t a fast read, but I think it’s an important one.  The title of the book comes from the fact that children in Africa sometimes have to deny their identity and say they’re one of “them” (another tribe or religion) in order to survive.  You will be a different person after you’ve read this book.” 
  • Teddy from So Many Precious Books, So Little Time reviews one of the short stories titled An Ex-Mas Feast.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• West with the Night by Beryl Markham reviewed by Jeane at Dog Ear Diary.  “I can’t say which I preferred, reading about the horses and African wildlife, or reading about her flights in a small plane- both were engrossing and captivating. And have you ever had the thrill of coming across a character in a book, who was friends with one you knew in a different book entirely?”
  • More book blogger reviews.

What Now?

If you have a blog, I’d love to have you answer the following questions in your own post or come up with your own thing.  Participation is open to all.  If you don’t have a blog feel free to answer them in the comments:

1. Do you read a lot of books that have an African focus?  If so, why do you enjoy them?
2. Have you reviewed any books with an African theme?  If so, feel free to highlight them.
3. What are you looking forward to reading next?  Anything on your radar?
4. If you haven’t read a lot of books with an African focus, what are some books that you’d like to read?
5. Are there any book titles showcased in this carnival that sounds interesting to you or that you’ve read?

Link your meme post in the Mr. Linky so we can visit:

Have More Book Reviews?

If you have a blog and have book reviews (no matter how old) with an African focus we’d love to know about them too!  Link your book reviews to the Mr. Linky in the following format:  Book Title (country).

(P.S.  Would you like to submit a book review to the next Bookworms Carnival?  Check out the details.)

Hardcover Fiction

1. THE LOST SYMBOL, by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon among the Masons.
2. A TOUCH OF DEAD, by Charlaine Harris. The complete Sookie Stackhouse stories.
3. THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett.  A young white woman and two black maids in 1960s ­Mississippi.
4. THE PROFESSIONAL, by Robert B. Parker. Rich women are turning up dead, and the Boston P.I. Spenser investigates.
5. THE LAST SONG, by Nicholas Sparks.  A 17-year-old girl spends the summer with her divorced father in North Carolina and finds many kinds of love.

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, by Mitch Albom.  A suburban rabbi and a Detroit pastor teach lessons about the comfort of belief.
2. ARGUING WITH IDIOTS, written and edited by Glenn Beck, Kevin Balfe and others.  The case against big government.
3. TRUE COMPASS, by Edward M. Kennedy.  The late senator’s autobiography.
4. WHERE MEN WIN GLORY, by Jon Krakauer.  The story of Pat Tillman, the N.F.L. player who enlisted after 9/11, and the Army’s cover-up of his death by friendly fire in Afghanistan
5. THE MURDER OF KING TUT, by James Patterson and Martin Dugard. Investigating the Boy King’s sudden death

Paperback Trade Fiction

1. SAY YOU’RE ONE OF THEM, by Uwem Akpan.  Stories set in Africa, told from the point of view of wise and resilient children.
2. THE SHACK, by William P. Young.  A man whose daughter was abducted is invited to an isolated shack, apparently by God.
3. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE, by Audrey Niffenegger. Life with a dashing librarian who travels back and forth through time.
4. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson.  A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of a Swedish heiress.
5. THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, by Garth Stein.  An insightful Lab-terrier mix helps his owner, a struggling race car driver.

Paperback Mass-Market Fiction

1. THE ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham. An idealistic law-school graduate is forced to take a job at a large, brutalizing law firm.
2. CROSS COUNTRY, by James Patterson.  Alex Cross chases the leader of a teenage gang.
3. COVET, by J. R. Ward.  A man becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins.
4. HEAT LIGHTNING, by John Sandford. Virgil Flowers investigates a string of murders in which a lemon was left in the mouth of each victim.
5. TRUE DETECTIVES, by Jonathan Kellerman. In the 24th Alex Delaware novel, the interracial half-brothers from “Bones” investigate a young woman’s death.

Paperback Non-Fiction

1. I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL, by Tucker Max.  Life as a self-absorbed, drunken womanizer.
2. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
3. GLENN BECK’S ‘COMMON SENSE’, by Glenn Beck. Thomas Paine-inspired thoughts on government.
4. THE GLASS CASTLE, by Jeannette Walls. The author recalls a bizarre childhood during which she and her siblings moved constantly.
5. THE TIPPING POINT, by Malcolm Gladwell. otherwise known as fads.

Hardcover Advice

1. POSTSECRET: CONFESSIONS ON LIFE, DEATH, AND GOD, by Frank Warren.  More confessional postcards from the PostSecret Project.
2. MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING, VOL. 1, by Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle.  A reissue of the book that started Julia Child’s career
3. ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A MAN, by Steve Harvey.  Relationship tips from the comedian and host of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.”
4. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2010, edited by Craig Glenday.  Tallest, fastest, youngest, most.
5. FLAT BELLY DIET!, by Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass. Nutrition advice and workout tips from the editors of Prevention magazine.

Paperback Advice

1. NEW MOON, by Mark Cotta Vaz.  The illustrated companion to the movie based on the second book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight vampire romance series.
2. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  Advice for parents-to-be.
3. THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, by Gary Chapman.  How to communicate love in a way a spouse will understand.
4. THE LOVE DARE, by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough.  A 40-day challenge for spouses to practice unconditional love.
5. HUNGRY GIRL 200 UNDER 200, by Lisa Lillien.  Two hundred recipes with fewer than 200 calories, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time.

Children’s Picture Books

1. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, by Barb Bersche and Michelle Quint.  A movie tie-in adapted from the screenplay based on the children’s classic. (Ages 9 to 12)
2. LEGO STAR WARS, by Simon Beecroft.  An annotated visual dictionary. (Ages 7 and up)
3. JULIE ANDREWS’S COLLECTION OF POEMS, SONGS, AND LULLABIES, by Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Andrews. Illustrated by James McMullan.. All of the above, by various authors, plus a CD. (Ages 4 to
4. SKIPPYJON JONES, LOST IN SPICE, by Judy Schachner. The peppery red planet captures a cat’s fancy. (Ages 4 to
5. PIGS MAKE ME SNEEZE!, by Mo Willems.  An elephant indulges in self-diagnosis. (Ages 4 to

Children’s Chapter Books

1. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up).
2. CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins.The protagonist of “The Hunger Games” returns. (Ages 12 and up)
3. RETURN TO THE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD, by David Benedictus. Illustrated by Mark Burgess. The further adventures of Pooh and company. (Ages 9 to 12)
4. FIRE, by Kristin Cashore.  The last remaining human monster could save a kingdom. (Ages 14 and up)
5. LEVIATHAN, by Scott Westerfeld. Illustrated by Keith Thompson.  A round-the-world in airship trip before the eruption of World War I. (Ages 12 and up)

Children’s Paperback Books

1. THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. A girl saves books from Nazi burning and shares them with a Jewish man in hiding. (Ages 14 and up)
2. DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. A school for psychic teens. (Ages 14 and up)
3. THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)
4. GRACELING, by Kristin Cashore.  A fantasy novel about a girl endowed with special talents who also is valued for her attributes as a warrior. (Ages 14 and up)
5. BLUE MOON, by Alyson Noël.  An immortal girl. (Ages 12 and up)

Children’s Series Books

1. THE TWILIGHT SERIES, by Stephenie Meyer. Vampires and werewolves in high school. (Ages 12 and up)
2. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.  A boy records the hazards of adolescent life. (Ages 9 to 12)
3. BLUE BLOODS, by Melissa de la Cruz. Young and privileged vampires are having a blood feud. (Ages 14 and up)
4. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan.  Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)
5. VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith.  Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)

Hardcover Graphic Books

1. BLOOM COUNTY: THE COMPLETE LIBRARY, VOL. 1, by Berkeley Breathed. This collected edition, the first of four planned volumes, covers the years 1980 through 1982 of the acclaimed newspaper strip.
2. FABLES: DELUXE EDITION, VOL. 1, by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham. The characters from storybook tales find themselves exiled from their world by a nefarious force named the Adversary. This edition collects the first 10 issues of the captivating series and include character sketches.
3. ABSOLUTE PROMETHEA, VOL. 1, by Alan Moore and J. H. Williams. Promethea, a magical woman from the realm of imagination, bonds with her latest host: Sophie Bangs, college student. A trippy tale from the mind of Alan Moore with stunning art by J.H. Williams.
4. BATMAN: CACOPHONY, by Kevin Smith and Walter Flanagan.  The Dark Knight squares off against Onomatopoeia, who murders superheroes for sport, and the Joker is caught in the middle.
5. THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young. Dorothy travels to the land of OZ, graphic novel style.

Paperback Graphic Books

1. THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE: RECORDED ATTACKS, by Max Brooks. If you want to survive a zombie attack, there may be no better way than to see how past cultures have done it.
2. LOGICOMIX – AN EPIC SEARCH FOR TRUTH, by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos and Annie Di Donna. The life of the philosopher and logician Bertrand Russell, and his passion for mathematics, is recounted in this graphic novel.
3. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON 8, VOL. 5, by various. Will things ever get better for Buffy? Now she has to deal with “Harmony Bites,” a reality show starring a former-classmate-and-current-vampire. Plus: more from the mysterious Twilight.
4. THE CARTOON HISTORY OF THE MODERN WORLD, VOL. 2, by Larry Gonick.  The cartoonist Larry Gonick continues his epic retelling of life so far. This volume spans from the French Revolution to today, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
5. WATCHMEN, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.

Manga

1. NARUTO 46, by Masashi Kishimoto.  Naruto’s friends are threatened, the mysteries of Pain deepen and Naruto must fight to protect his village.
2. ROSARIO VAMPIRE, VOL. 9, by Akihisa Ikeda. Tsukune Aono’s new school is filled with vampires and werewolves. How is a human teenager to survive?
3. CHIBI VAMPIRE, VOL. 14, by Yuna Kagesaki.  Karin, a vampire who every month bleeds profusely from her nose, is kidnapped by a gang of vampires who want to use her blood for their own survival.
4. FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, VOL. 20, by Hiromu Arakawa.  Two brothers harmed in a ritual that was half magic/half science seek the legendary Philosopher’s Stone to make things right. But others seek the weapon of alchemy for their own nefarious means.
5. VAMPIRE KISSES VOL. 3, BLOOD RELATIVES, by Ellen Schreiber, Elisa Kwon and Rem.  The romance between Raven, a goth girl, and Alexander, a vampire, continues to be plagued by Alexander’s cousin, Claude, who is half-human and half-vampire.

Source: The New York Times Best Seller List

Fiction

• Bonnie Jo Campbell, American Salvage (Wayne State University Press)
• Colum McCann, Let the Great World Spin (Random House)
• Daniyal Mueenuddin, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders (W. W. Norton & Co.)
• Jayne Anne Phillips, Lark and Termite (Alfred A. Knopf)
• Marcel Theroux, Far North (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Non-Fiction

• David M. Carroll, Following the Water: A Hydromancer’s Notebook
• (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• Sean B. Carroll, Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• Greg Grandin, Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford’s Forgotten Jungle City (Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt)
• Adrienne Mayor, The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome’s Deadliest Enemy (Princeton University Press)
• T. J. Stiles, The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt (Alfred A. Knopf)

Poetry

• Rae Armantrout, Versed (Wesleyan University Press)
• Ann Lauterbach, Or to Begin Again (Viking Penguin)
• Carl Phillips, Speak Low (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
• Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon, Open Interval (University of Pittsburgh Press)
• Keith Waldrop, Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy (University of California Press)

Young People’s Literature

• Deborah Heiligman, Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith (Henry Holt)
• Phillip Hoose, Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
• David Small, Stitches (W. W. Norton & Co.)
• Laini Taylor, Lips Touch: Three Times (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic)
• Rita Williams-Garcia, Jumped (HarperTeen/HarperCollins)

Distinguished Contribution To American Letters

• Gore Vidal

Literarian Award

• Dave Eggers

The Winner in each of the four categories – Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry and People’s Literature – will be announced at the 60th National Book Awards Benefit Dinner and Ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on Wednesday, November 18.  You may see all the details at the National Book Awards website.

Sadly, I have not read any of these.  Particularly in the Young People’s Literature.  Glad to see Dave Eggers get the Literarian Award though.  I’ve read his book What is the What (my review) which is fantastic.  Have you read any of these books?  Do you have any that you’d like to see win in November?

(book covers to be edited in – I wanted to get this info up for you)

The New York Times Bestseller List
October 11, 2009

Hardcover Fiction

1. THE LOST SYMBOL, by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon among the Masons.
2. AN ECHO IN THE BONE, by Diana Gabaldon. The descendants of Jamie Fraser and his wife, Claire, search for clues about their flight from North Carolina during the Revolution; the seventh Outlander novel.
3. ROUGH COUNTRY, by John Sandford.  Virgil Flowers investigates a string of murders at a Minnesota resort for women.
4. THE LAST SONG, by Nicholas Sparks.  A 17-year-old girl spends the summer with her divorced father in North Carolina and finds many kinds of love.
5. THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett.  A young white woman and two black maids in 1960s ­Mississippi.

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, by Mitch Albom.  A suburban rabbi and a Detroit pastor teach lessons about the comfort of belief.
2. ARGUING WITH IDIOTS, written and edited by Glenn Beck, Kevin Balfe and others.  The case against big government.
3. TRUE COMPASS, by Edward M. Kennedy.  The late senator’s autobiography.
4. THE TIME OF MY LIFE, by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi.  A memoir by the actor, who died in September, and his wife.
5. THE MURDER OF KING TUT, by James Patterson and Martin Dugard. Investigating the Boy King’s sudden death

Paperback Trade Fiction

1. SAY YOU’RE ONE OF THEM, by Uwem Akpan.  Stories set in Africa, told from the point of view of wise and resilient children.
2. THE SHACK, by William P. Young.  A man whose daughter was abducted is invited to an isolated shack, apparently by God.
3. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE, by Audrey Niffenegger. Life with a dashing librarian who travels back and forth through time.
4. THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, by Mary Ann Shaffer.  A journalist meets the island’s old Nazi resisters.
5. PUSH, by Sapphire. (Vintage, $12.95.) An abused, illiterate 16-year-old girl living in Harlem meets a teacher who helps change her life.

Paperback Mass-Market Fiction

1. THE ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham. An idealistic law-school graduate is forced to take a job at a large, brutalizing law firm.
2. COVET, by J. R. Ward.  A man becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins.
3. CROSS COUNTRY, by James Patterson.  Alex Cross chases the leader of a teenage gang.
4. BORN OF NIGHT, by Sherrilyn Kenyon. A woman must entrust her life to a deadly assassin once affiliated with the League.
5. THE RENEGADE HUNTER, by Lynsay Sands.  A vampire hunter turned rogue is locked up after saving a damsel in distress; a Rogue Hunter novel.

Paperback Non-Fiction

1. GLENN BECK’S ‘COMMON SENSE’, by Glenn Beck. Thomas Paine-inspired thoughts on government.
2. I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL, by Tucker Max.  Life as a self-absorbed, drunken womanizer.
3. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
4. MY LIFE IN FRANCE, by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme. How Julia Child mastered the art of French cooking: a memoir.
5. THE GLASS CASTLE, by Jeannette Walls. The author recalls a bizarre childhood during which she and her siblings moved constantly.

Hardcover Advice

1. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2010, edited by Craig Glenday.  Tallest, fastest, youngest, most.
2. MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING, VOL. 1, by Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle.  A reissue of the book that started Julia Child’s career
3. ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A MAN, by Steve Harvey.  Relationship tips from the comedian and host of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.”
4. MASTER YOUR METABOLISM, by Jillian Michaels with Mariska van Aalst.  A plan for removing toxins and rebalancing hormones to lose weight, by a trainer and coach from “The Biggest Loser” on NBC.
5. THE LAST LECTURE, by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow. After learning he has terminal cancer, a Carnegie Mellon professor shares his thoughts on the importance of “seizing every moment.”

Paperback Advice

1. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  Advice for parents-to-be.
2. THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, by Gary Chapman.  How to communicate love in a way a spouse will understand.
3. THE LOVE DARE, by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough.  A 40-day challenge for spouses to practice unconditional love.
4. HUNGRY GIRL 200 UNDER 200, by Lisa Lillien.  Two hundred recipes with fewer than 200 calories, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time.
5. HOW TO TAKE OVER TEH WURLD, by Professor Happycat and icanhascheezburger.com.  Funny pictures of cats with funny

Children’s Picture Books

1. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, by Barb Bersche and Michelle Quint.  A movie tie-in adapted from the screenplay based on the children’s classic. (Ages 9 to 12)
2. SKIPPYJON JONES, LOST IN SPICE, by Judy Schachner. The peppery red planet captures a cat’s fancy. (Ages 4 to
3. LISTEN TO THE WIND: THE STORY OF DR. GREG AND “THREE CUPS OF TEA”, by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth.  A school grows in Pakistan. (Ages 4 to
4. WADDLE!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder. Animals in motion, with color. (Ages 4 to
5. DEWEY (THERE’S A CAT IN THE LIBRARY!), by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter. Illustrated by Steve James.  The tale of a book-drop mascot. (Ages 4 to

Children’s Chapter Books

1. CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins.The protagonist of “The Hunger Games” returns. (Ages 12 and up)
2. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up).
3. THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT, by Kate DiCamillo and Yoko Tanaka. An orphan in search of his sister follows a fortuneteller’s mysterious instructions. (Ages 7 and up)
4. TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins. A novel in verse about five teenagers who become prostitutes. (Ages 14 and up)
5. L.A. CANDY, by Lauren Conrad. Excitement in TV land by someone who has been there.

Children’s Paperback Books

1. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS: JUNIOR NOVELIZATION, by Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon.  A movie tie-in to the meteorological smorgasbord. (Ages 9 to 12)
2. DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. A school for psychic teens. (Ages 14 and up)BLUE MOON, by Alyson Noël.  An immortal girl. (Ages 12 and up)
3. THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. A girl saves books from Nazi burning and shares them with a Jewish man in hiding. (Ages 14 and up)
4. THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY, by Trenton Lee Stewart. Illustrated by Carson Ellis.  Gifted kids undertake a mission. (Ages 9 to 12)
5. THREE CUPS OF TEA: YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistani and Afghan villages. (Ages 9 to 12)

Children’s Series Books

1. THE TWILIGHT SERIES, by Stephenie Meyer. Vampires and werewolves in high school. (Ages 12 and up)
2. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.  A boy records the hazards of adolescent life. (Ages 9 to 12)
3. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan.  Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)
4. VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith.  Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)
5. SEPTIMUS HEAP, by Angie Sage. A boy fulfills his destiny as a wizard. (Ages 9 and up)

Hardcover Graphic Books

1. BATMAN: CACOPHONY, by Kevin Smith and Walter Flanagan.  The Dark Knight squares off against Onomatopoeia, who murders superheroes for sport, and the Joker is caught in the middle.
2. THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young. (Marvel Entertainment, $29.99.) Dorothy travels to the land of OZ, graphic novel style.
3. BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE, by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. This critically acclaimed story from 1988 offers a possible origin for the Joker.
4. MERCY THOMPSON: HOMECOMING, by Patricia Briggs and David Lawrence.  Mercy Thompson, the protagonist of Brigg’s prose novels, comes to comics with an original adventure. She has to survive a gang war between rival packs of werewolves, and her mother.
5. BATMAN: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAPED CRUSADER?, by Neil Gaiman and others.  This collection chronicles the last days of Batman, the secret origin of the villainous Poison Ivy and a tale which depicts the Dark Knight and the Joker as actors in a television show.

Paperback Graphic Books

1. LOGICOMIX – AN EPIC SEARCH FOR TRUTH, by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos and Annie Di Donna. The life of the philosopher and logician Bertrand Russell, and his passion for mathematics, is recounted in this graphic novel.
2. WATCHMEN, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
3. THE WALKING DEAD, VOL. 10, by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. Rick and his, and a new band of refugees, make their way to Washington, D.C. Will they survive? And if they do, will the new location be any better for them?
4. BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. This compelling mystery, set early in the Caped Crusader’s career, has mobsters, the sad downfall of Harvey Dent (Two Face) and a new foe: Holiday.
5. BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM, by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean. In this critically-acclaimed paint graphic novel, Batman finds himself facing off against his major villains at a home for criminally insane.

Manga

1. CHIBI VAMPIRE, VOL. 14, by Yuna Kagesaki.  Karin, a vampire who every month bleeds profusely from her nose, is kidnapped by a gang of vampires who want to use her blood for their own survival.
2. VAMPIRE KISSES VOL. 3, BLOOD RELATIVES, by Ellen Schreiber, Elisa Kwon and Rem.  The romance between Raven, a goth girl, and Alexander, a vampire, continues to be plagued by Alexander’s cousin, Claude, who is half-human and half-vampire.
3. NARUTO 46, by Masashi Kishimoto.  Naruto’s friends are threatened, the mysteries of Pain deepen and Naruto must fight to protect his village.
4. FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, VOL. 20, by Hiromu Arakawa.  Two brothers harmed in a ritual that was half magic/half science seek the legendary Philosopher’s Stone to make things right. But others seek the weapon of alchemy for their own nefarious means.
5. NARUTO, VOL. 45, by Masashi Kishimoto.  Jiraiya, ninja and mentor to Naruto, put everything he learned about the Akatsuki organization in code. Can Naruto decipher it in time?

Source: The New York Times Best Seller List

Benny is a young Behemoth.  But he has a major problem.  In fact, it’s a very colorful problem.  In a black and white world, Benny is full of color and he doesn’t like to feel different.  For each emotion that Benny feels he turns a different color.  For example, “On Monday at the carnival, Benny’s friends didn’t share any cotton candy with him.  Benny turned bright red with anger and breathed furious fire from his mouth.”  A different emotion is conveyed for each day of the week and each night Benny goes to bed and wonders “Why was I created so colorfully?”

While at Sunday School, a wise old behemoth notices Benny’s sadness and reminds Benny that “Your King Creator made you to be a member of His family and to reflect His glory!  Every one of those colors will serve a purpose in your life.  You are a royal prince and never forget it.”  It was then that Benny’s heart glowed a bright and beautiful royal purple and the book ends with the scripture 2 Corinthians 3:15-18.

The illustrations by Trish McKinney are a combination of sketches and watercolor and matched the feeling of the book.  There were however two instances where the text flowed across the spread of two pages and I found it difficult to read without holding the book completely flat, which was difficult to do as I had one child in my lap and trying to show another one sitting on the floor.   At the back of the book is a page that encourages interaction and dialogue about how emotions are often paired with colors, how is the reader like or not like Benny and further study about the King Creator,  as well as background about the word Behemoth.

A portion of the profits from Benny the Baffled Behemoth goes to Heart for Africa, a faith-based humanitarian organization focused on bringing HOPE to Africans by targeting the areas of Hunger, Orphans, Poverty and Education.  If you would like to serve in Africa or get more information visit www.heartforafrica.org.

This is the second title of Melissa’s that I’ve reviewed, the first being The Sudan Project. Melissa is an author that is inspiring in that she her writing to make a difference. I’m THRILLED to have Melissa guest post for us today about writing with multiple purposes and you will find that post next!

(Remember that African Bookworms Carnival?  If all goes well, I should have it posted tomorrow.)

Links of interest:  Heart for Africa, also reviewed on the Maw Books Blog by The Sudan Project: Rebuilding with the People of Darfur, A Young Person’s Guide and an interview with Melissa Leembruggen.  Melissa serves as the president of Clay Bridges Communications and can also be found on Twitter @ClayBridges.
Genre:  Christian Picture Book, approx ages 9-12
Published:  Claybridge Communications, February 16, 2009
Paperback, 40 pages.  ISBN:  0615232043
Benny the Baffled Behemoth by Melissa Leembruggen is available from Powell’s and Amazon.

We never left a light on for him at night and he was fine wandering around with all the lights off.  A few weeks ago, I took my boys camping at Bear Lake and Yellowstone, and once it got dark, he told me it was too scary because of the monsters. Tonight he wouldn’t walk up the stairs up to his bedroom because it too was scary.

So what changed?  Why would he all of a sudden be scared?

I’m blaming it all on the camping books that we checked out from the library to prep my boys for the trip.

I must admit that I thought this was a simply brilliant idea of mine.  And my boys thought so too.  They LOVED the camping books.  They had never been camping so were completely clueless on the whole thing.  We read the books each night and then set the tent up in the backyard.  As soon as it was up, they asked for the fire and marshmallows.  They only knew about this activity from the books, so they were playing close attention!

When we went on the actual trip they were beside themselves with excitement and had a fabulous time.  We spent a lot of time at the beach, went boating, cooked over the fire, roasted marshmallows, slept in the tent (highlight for the boys) and saw all the wildlife of Yellowstone.  Might I add here that I did this WITHOUT my husband who instead was at Comi-Con, either I’m really crazy or superwoman.  I survived unscathed, so I’m shamelessly calling myself superwoman.

I can’t help myself.  Must quickly share some photos:

Okay, back to the subject at hand.

I couldn’t help but notice in almost all of the picture books that I read about camping there was a commonality between them:  the woods are so scary and full of monsters that they always run back home to sleep in their backyard instead.

Case in point:

Camping Day by Patricia Lakin with illustrations by Scott Nash.  In this picture book, four crocodiles decide to go on a camp out, grab their things, pack the car and speed off.  They had a great time putting up the tent, roasting smores, singing songs and telling stories.  But as soon as it gets dark they all yell, “Scary!” and huddle in their sleeping bags. They see monster shadows on the tent wall and then . . .

“Let’s scram!” cried Sam, Pam, Will and Jill.  They grabbed their things.  They ran and ran.  They sped away in their small van.
“Stop!” said Sam.  “Safe!” said Pam.  “Home!” said Will.  “Let’s camp!” said Jill.

“ZZZZZZ!” snored Sam, Pam, Will and Jill.

The closing illustration shows them sleeping in the fenced in backyard under the lights of their living room.

Duck Tents by Lynne Berry and illustrated by Hiroe Nakata.  Okay, this picture book is ADORABLE.  My boys loved it so much.  It’s got really cute illustrations and fun text.  This one is slightly different in that the camping is already taking place in the backyard and even so, it’s STILL scary.  There are five ducks and each one is sleeping alone in their own tent (right next to the house in a stone fenced-in enclosure) and the text reads:

Five ducks sigh, full of marshmallow goo.
Five little ducks hear a whoo-whoo-whoooooo.
Ducks all dive for their tents in a row,
Zip up tight, and lie down low.

Two little ducks poke out two beaks.
“I’m not scared,” one little duck squeaks.
“I’m not scared,” quack two, three, four.
The fifth little duck pretends to snore.

Yet five little ducks can’t help but hear
Sounds of the nighttime, loud and clear.
Whoo! Whoo!  Whoooooo!

One by one, four little ducks creep . . .
“Not scared now,” ducks sigh and peep,
And snuggle up tight and drift to sleep.

This last stanza is shown with an illustration of all five ducks snuggled in together in one tent.

Jerome Camps Out written and illustrated by Eileen Christelow. This book was actually a bit above my boys interest level so we only read it once.  But the premise is the same.  Jerome and his friends go on a weekend camping trip with their school and decide to play a trick on somebody by convincing him that there is a monster in the lake.  The illustrations show the boy quivering underneath his sleeping back unable to sleep the entire night because he’s so scared of the lake monster.  The next morning, Jerome finds out that the supposed monster wasn’t as imaginary as he thought.  The ending illustration is that of a monster (a very friendly looking monster actually) waving goodbye from the lake.

Mr. Bear’s Vacation by Debi Gliori.  This is a fun, little book about a family of bears who want to take small bear on her first camping trip.  They pack a picnic, a tent and head out.  Everything is great until it got dark:

“What’s that?” said Mr. Bear.
“What?” said Mrs. Bear.
“That snorting sound,” whispered Mr. Bear.  “Outside, listen . . . ”
The bears fell silent.
Flora’s ears twitched.

“Look,” said Mrs. Bear in a trembly whisper.  “There on the wall.”
“AAARGH!” screamed Mr. Bear.
“It’s a monster!” wailed Small Bear.
“MoooOOOO,” said the monster.

The illustration shows what is really a cow falling into their tent.

“Quick! Let’s go!” yelled Mr. Bear, quickly putting out the fire, stuffing the little bears into the backback, and pulling Mrs. Bear and Flora after him.

They run home and declare that they need another vacation from their vacation.  Again, home is much safer than the outdoors.

Now to be fair.  Of the six books that I got from the library (which I found simply by searching for camping under juvenile picture books) two of them were fine and were not about how camping is scary.  In Let’s Go Camping with Mr. Sillypants by M.K. Brown, Mr. Sillypants sleeps in and misses the start of his camping trip.  The other, Stella and Roy Go Camping by Ashley Wolff, a book mainly about bear safety, was actually my oldest’s favorite of the six because he LOVED learning about all of the animal tracks.  And it paid off too.  During our camping trip, he was on the look out for prints the whole time and was excited when he found them.

SO.  Like I mentioned earlier, while we were camping and after the sun went down, my oldest told me that the dark was too scary and he wanted to go to the tent and sleep.  Fortunately, unlike most of the characters in these books, he was never scared inside the tent.  But being scared of the dark was something that never really occurred to him before we read these books.  The four that I mentioned above all explore the idea that when it gets dark, the monsters come out and they all hightail it back home where it’s safe.

Why would a child think that the dark is scary or that there are monsters under the bed or in the closest?  In my case, they learned it from the picture books.  My boys are still to young to understand the concept that monsters are imaginary.  If a book says that there are monsters in the dark when we camp then it must be so.

Do you think that we teach our kids to be scared when it’s all supposed to be fun and games?  We use books to correct our children’s behavior so to me it makes total sense that they also can teach incorrect behavior as well.  And why in the world do I want to create more work for myself in the future by trying to unteach these behaviors?  Thoughts?

(And on another note, I’m thinking of putting my oldest in preschool and was checking out this list of books for preschoolers compiled by Reading Rumpus.  Many are about being scared and missing mommy.  Perhaps I should avoid those ones.)

Hardcover Fiction

1. THE DEFECTOR, by Daniel Silva. When a Russian defector who once saved his life disappears, Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and occasional spy for the Israeli secret service, attempts to rescue him.
2. BEST FRIENDS FOREVER, by Jennifer Weiner.  Childhood friends, estranged in high school, reunite years later when the popular one needs the mousy one’s help.
3. SWIMSUIT, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.A former cop, now a reporter for The Los Angeles Times, investigates the disappearance of a supermodel.
4. TWENTIES GIRL, by Sophie Kinsella.  A young woman is haunted by the spirit of her great-aunt, who wants her to find a missing necklace.
5. THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett.  A young white woman and two black maids in 1960s ­Mississippi.

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell.  Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent — from the author of “Blink” and “The Tipping Point.”
2. LIBERTY AND TYRANNY, by Mark R. Levin. A conservative manifesto from a talk-show host and president of Landmark Legal Foundation.
3. UNMASKED, by Ian Halperin.  Michael Jackson’s final years.
4. CATASTROPHE, by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann. Stopping President Obama before he transforms America into a socialist state and destroys the health care system.
5. BOBBY AND JACKIE, by C. David Heymann.  The connection between Bobby and Jackie Kennedy.

Paperback Trade Fiction

1. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE, by Audrey Niffenegger. Life with a dashing librarian who travels back and forth through time.
2. THE SHACK, by William P. Young. A man whose daughter was abducted is invited to an isolated shack, apparently by God.
3. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson.  A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of a Swedish heiress.
4. THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, by Mary Ann Shaffer.  A journalist meets the island’s old Nazi resisters.
5. THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, by Garth Stein. An insightful Lab-terrier mix helps his owner, a struggling race car driver.

Paperback Mass-Market Fiction

1. SMOKE SCREEN, by Sandra Brown. Scandalous deaths thwart the investigation of a fatal fire at the police headquarters in Charleston, S.C.
2. MY SISTER’S KEEPER, by Jodi Picoult.  A girl sues her parents after learning they want her to donate a kidney to her sibling.
3. TAILSPIN, by Catherine Coulter.  The F.B.I. agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock swoop in to help a colleague when his plane crashes in the Appalachian Mountains.
4. MOSCOW RULES, by Daniel Silva.  Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and an occasional spy for the Israeli secret service, uncovers a Russian arms sales plot.
5. DEAD UNTIL DARK, by Charlaine Harris.Sookie Stackhouse falls in love with a bad-boy vampire.

Paperback Non-Fiction

1. GLENN BECK’S ‘COMMON SENSE’, by Glenn Beck. Thomas Paine-inspired thoughts on government.
2. JULIE & JULIA, by Julie Powell.A memoir of racing to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”
3. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
4. THE FAMILY, by Jeff Sharlet. The history of the Fellowship, a secretive evangelical group active in American politics.
5. ANGELA’S ASHES, by Frank McCourt. cCourt, the Irish-American writer who died last month, recalls his childhood in Limerick.

Hardcover Advice

1. ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A MAN, by Steve Harvey.  Relationship tips from the comedian and host of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.”
2. MASTER YOUR METABOLISM, by Jillian Michaels with Mariska van Aalst.  A plan for removing toxins and rebalancing hormones to lose weight, by a trainer and coach from “The Biggest Loser” on NBC.
3. THE LAST LECTURE, by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow. After learning he has terminal cancer, a Carnegie Mellon professor shares his thoughts on the importance of “seizing every moment.”
4. THE SECRET, by Rhonda Byrne.  The law of attraction as a key to getting what you want.
5. GOT FIGHT?, by Forrest Griffin with Erich Krauss. Advice and lore from Griffin, the mixed martial arts expert.

Paperback Advice

1. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  Advice for parents-to-be.
2. THE LOVE DARE, by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough.  A 40-day challenge for spouses to practice unconditional love.
3. COOK YOURSELF THIN, by the staff of Lifetime Television.  How to cut calories, change diets and improve health without sacrificing the foods you love.
4. SKINNY BITCH, by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.  Vegan diet advice from the world of modeling.
5. THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, by Gary Chapman.  How to communicate love in a way a spouse will understand.

Children’s Picture Books

1. LISTEN TO THE WIND: THE STORY OF DR. GREG AND THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth.  A school grows in Pakistan.
2. GALLOP!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder.  Animals seem to move when you flip the page. (Ages 4 to
3. GOLDILICIOUS, written and illustrated by Victoria Kann.  An ethereal pet and protector joins Pinkalicious. (Ages 5 to
4. SWING!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder.  Children seem to move when you flip the page. (Ages 4 to
5. EXPLORER EXTRAORDINAIRE!, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser..  Fancy Nancy meets the outdoors in the finest tradition of the great explorers. (Ages 4 to 7)

Children’s Chapter Books

1. L.A. CANDY, by Lauren Conrad. Excitement in TV land by someone who has been there.
2. ALONG FOR THE RIDE, by Sarah Dessen.  A summer on two wheels for a girl ripe to learn more about herself and the people she cares about. (Ages 14 and up)
3. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up)
4. THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, by Jay Asher.  Before committing suicide a girl records and sends explanatory audiotapes to 13 people. (Ages 14 and up)
5. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, by Neil Gaiman. Illustrated by Dave McKean.  To avoid a killer, a boy lives in a cemetery. (Ages 10 and up)

Children’s Paperback Books

1. BLUE MOON, by Alyson Noël.  An immortal girl. (Ages 12 and up)
2. THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge.  An alien hunter seeks the Prayer, a killer mantis. (Ages 12 and up)
3. THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. A girl saves books from Nazi burning and shares them with a Jewish man in hiding. (Ages 14 and up)
4. EVERMORE, by Alyson Noël. Immortals in school. (Ages 12 and up)
5. LOCK AND KEY, by Sarah Dessen.  Loss and change crack Ruby’s cynicism. (Ages 12 and up)
   

Children’s Series Books

1. THE TWILIGHT SERIES, by Stephenie Meyer. Vampires and werewolves in high school. (Ages 12 and up)
2. HARRY POTTER, by J. K. Rowling.  A young wizard hones his skills while fighting evil. (Ages 10 and up)
3. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan.  Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)
4. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.  A boy records the hazards of adolescent life. (Ages 9 to 12)
   
5. HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast.  Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)

Hardcover Graphic Books

1. BATMAN: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAPED CRUSADER?, by Neil Gaiman and others.  This collection chronicles the last days of Batman, the secret origin of the villainous Poison Ivy and a tale which depicts the Dark Knight and the Joker as actors in a television show.
2. ASTERIOS POLYP, by David Mazzucchelli. The title character is an architect who is suffering from a midlife crisis. But will leaving New York City for small-town America help?
3. THE HUNTER, by Darwyn Cooke. Meet Parker, the antihero created by the novelist Richard Stark, in the first of four planned graphic novel adaptations.LOST GIRLS, by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie. Brace yourselves for the shocking, adult (as in maturity and pornography) adventures of Wendy from “Peter Pan,” Alice from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz.”
4. ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL, VOL. 4, by Joss Whedon and Brian Lynch.  Angel fights a battle that will forever decide his fate and that of Los Angeles.

Paperback Graphic Books

1. WATCHMEN, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
2. EMPOWERED, V. 5, by Adam Warren.  The costumed crimefighter known as Empowered can’t get any respect. Even after saving her fellow heroes, they still think she’s a villain in waiting.
3. THE SANDMAN: PRELUDES AND NOCTURNES, by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg and Malcolm Jones III. (Dream of the Endless must rebuild his empire after several years of imprisonment at the hands of humans.
4. FABLES, VOL. 1, by Bill Willingham and Lan Medina.  After being exiled from their homes, Snow White, Big Bad Wolf and other characters from various fairy tales form their own community in New York City.
5. V FOR VENDETTA, by Alan Moore, K. C. Carlson and David Lloyd.  A vigilante tries to free London from its authoritarian leadership.

Manga

1. FRUITS BASKET, VOL. 23, by Natsuki Takaya.  This series is about a family that is possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac. Secrets from the past are revealed and Akito, head of the clan, finds her control slipping.
2. NARUTO, VOL. 45, by Masashi Kishimoto.  Jiraiya, ninja and mentor to Naruto, put everything he learned about the Akatsuki organization in code. Can Naruto decipher it in time?
3. FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, VOL. 19, by Hiromu Arakawa.Two brothers harmed in a ritual that was half magic/half science seek the legendary Philosopher’s Stone to make things right. This installment reveals their father’s origin.
4. NEGIMA! MAGISTER NEGI MAGI, VOL. 23, by Ken Akamatsu.  Will it be victory or death for Negi, the boy wizard, as faces his rival, Fate Averruncus?
5. NARUTO, VOL. 43, by Masashi Kishimoto. Naruto’s former teammate, Sasuke, learns vital details about his family’s past.

Source: The New York Times Best Seller List

Hardcover Fiction

1. BLACK HILLS, by Nora Roberts.A South Dakota wildlife biologist and an ex-cop, childhood sweethearts, reunite to pursue a serial killer.
2. SWIMSUIT, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. A former cop, now a reporter for The Los Angeles Times, investigates the disappearance of a supermodel.F
3. INGER LICKIN’ FIFTEEN, by Janet Evanovich.  The bounty hunter Stephanie Plum tracks a celebrity chef’s killer.
4. THE DEVIL’S PUNCHBOWL, by Greg Iles.  The mayor of Natchez, Miss., pursues a killer who opposes his attempt to clean up riverboat gambling.
5. THE APOSTLE, by Brad Thor. Scot Harvath, a Homeland Security superagent, is asked to free an Al Qaeda mastermind from an Afghan prison as part of a ransom deal.S

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell.  Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent — from the author of “Blink” and “The Tipping Point.”
2. LIBERTY AND TYRANNY, by Mark R. Levin. A conservative manifesto from a talk-show host and president of Landmark Legal Foundation.
3. CATASTROPHE, by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann. Stopping President Obama before he transforms America into a socialist state.
4. HORSE SOLDIERS, by Doug Stanton.  A small group of Special Forces soldiers fought the Taliban on horseback shortly after 9/11.
5. THE END OF OVEREATING, by David A. Kessler.  How eating sugar, fat and salt affects our minds and bodies and encourages overindulgence.

Paperback Trade Fiction

1. THE SHACK, by William P. Young. A man whose daughter was abducted is invited to an isolated shack, apparently by God.
2. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson.  A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of a Swedish heiress.
3. THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, by Mary Ann Shaffer.  A journalist meets the island’s old Nazi resisters.
4. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE, by Audrey Niffenegger.  Life with a dashing librarian who travels back and forth through time.
5. MY SISTER’S KEEPER, by Jodi Picoult. A girl sues her parents after learning they want her to donate a kidney to her sibling.

Paperback Mass-Market Fiction

1. MY SISTER’S KEEPER, by Jodi Picoult.A girl sues her parents after learning they want her to donate a kidney to her sibling..
2. TAILSPIN, by Catherine Coulter. The F.B.I. agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock swoop in to help a colleague when his plane crashes in the Appalachian Mountains.
3. HIDDEN CURRENTS, by Christine Feehan. The youngest of the telepathic Drake sisters disappears while on her way back home.
4. FEARLESS FOURTEEN, by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum and her boyfriend get involved when his cousin’s bank robbery goes bad.
5. WHAT HAPPENS IN LONDON, by Julia Quinn.  A young woman spies on her intriguing neighbor, an employee of the War Office, and is herself spied on in return.

Paperback Non-Fiction

1. GLENN BECK’S ‘COMMON SENSE’, by Glenn Beck.  Thomas Paine-inspired thoughts on government.
2. MICHAEL JACKSON, edited by Joe Funk. An illustrated tribute biography of the King of Pop.
3. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. A former climber builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
4. I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL, by Tucker Max.  Life as a self-­absorbed, drunken womanizer.
5. JULIE & JULIA, by Julie Powell. A memoir of racing to cook every recipe in Julia Child’’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”

Hardcover Advice

1. ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A MAN, by Steve Harvey.  Relationship tips from the comedian and host of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.”
2. THE LAST LECTURE, by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow. After learning he has terminal cancer, a Carnegie Mellon professor shares his thoughts on the importance of “seizing every moment.”
3. MASTER YOUR METABOLISM, by Jillian Michaels with Mariska van Aalst.  A plan for removing toxins and rebalancing hormones to lose weight, by a trainer and coach from “The Biggest Loser” on NBC.
4. EXCUSES BEGONE!, by Wayne W. Dyer.  How to throw out old excuses and embrace new ways of thinking to achieve happiness.
5. THE SECRET, by Rhonda Byrne.  The law of attraction as a key to getting what you want.

Paperback Advice

1. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  Advice for parents-to-be.
2. COOK YOURSELF THIN, by the staff of Lifetime Television.  How to cut calories, change diets and improve health without sacrificing the foods you love.
3. THE LOVE DARE, by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough.  A 40-day challenge for spouses to practice unconditional love.
4. THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, by Gary Chapman.  How to communicate love in a way a spouse will understand.
5. SKINNY BITCH, by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. (Vegan diet advice from the world of modeling.

Children’s Picture Books

1. GOLDILICIOUS, written and illustrated by Victoria Kann.  An ethereal pet and protector joins Pinkalicious. (Ages 5 to
2. GALLOP!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder.  Animals seem to move when you flip the page. (Ages 4 to
3. TEA PARTIES, by Jane O”Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. Extended pinkies at Fancy Nancy’s. (Ages 4 to 7)
4. EXPLORER EXTRAORDINAIRE!, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.  Fancy Nancy meets the outdoors in the finest tradition of the great explorers. (Ages 4 to 7)
5. THE CURIOUS GARDEN, written and illustrated by Peter Brown.  A boy named Liam nurtures a straggly garden to vivid fruition. (Ages 4 to

Children’s Chapter Books

1. L.A. CANDY, by Lauren Conrad. Excitement in TV land by someone who has been there. (Ages 14 and up)
2. ALONG FOR THE RIDE, by Sarah Dessen.  A summer on two wheels for a girl ripe to learn more about herself and the people she cares about. (Ages 14 and up)
3. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up)
4. THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, by Jay Asher.  Before committing suicide a girl records and sends explanatory audiotapes to 13 people. (Ages 14 and up)
5. TWILIGHT: DIRECTOR’S NOTEBOOK, by Catherine Hardwicke. The making of “Twilight,” the movie. (Ages 9 to 12)
6. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, by Neil Gaiman. Illustrated by Dave McKean.  To avoid a killer, a boy lives in a cemetery. (Ages 10 and up)

Children’s Paperback Books

1. BLUE MOON, by Alyson Noël.An immortal girl learns the secret of time. (Ages 12 and up)
2. THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF DANIEL X, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge.  An alien hunter seeks the Prayer, a killer mantis. (Ages 12 and up)
3. EVERMORE, by Alyson Noël. Immortals in school. (Ages 12 and up)
4. THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. A girl saves books from Nazi burning and shares them with a Jewish man in hiding. (Ages 14 and up)
5. LOCK AND KEY, by Sarah Dessen.  Loss and change crack Ruby’s cynicism. (Ages 12 and up)

Children’s Series Books

1. THE TWILIGHT SERIES, by Stephenie Meyer. Vampires and werewolves in high school. (Ages 12 and up)
2. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan.  Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)
3. HARRY POTTER, by J. K. Rowling.  A young wizard hones his skills while fighting evil. (Ages 10 and up)
4. THE CLIQUE, by Lisi Harrison.  The lives and loves of the popular kids at an elite prep school. (Ages 12 and up)
5. HOUSE OF NIGHT, by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast.  Vampires in school. (Ages 14 and up)

Source: The New York Times Best Seller List