This month’s selection of
new books at the Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Library, offered by
librarians Susan
Higgins and Catherine Starr, covers a lot of territory, from
the Trojan War to
World War II and the “Lunch Lady” to Steve Jobs. You can find
books—and CDs and
movies—on the shelves at 451 Jersey St., or search the catalog
at www.sfpl.org.
To learn about library programs, call 415-355-5707.
Adult Fiction
¥ The story of the Trojan War is
retold in The
Song of Achilles, a gripping historical novelby
Madeline
Miller.
¥ Two women are murdered on a train
in Marek
Krajewski’sDeath in Breslau,a
mystery set in 1933
Poland.
¥ The Year’s Best Science Fiction:
Twenty-ninth Annual
Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois,
is a new
anthology of short stories from award-winning authors,
including Robert Reed,
Alastair Reynolds, Damien Broderick, and Elizabeth Bear.
Adult Nonfiction
¥ Peter Jenny helps readers
discover the joys of
drawing and find new ways of viewing the world, in The
Artist’s Eye.
¥ Decoding Gardening Advice: The
Science Behind the 100
Most Common Recommendations,by Jeff Gillman and
Meleah Maynard, harvests the best tips in the field of
gardening.
¥ Map lovers will enjoy the unusual illustrations
presented in Strange
Maps: An Atlas of Cartographic Curiosities,by
Frank Jacobs.
Books for Teens
¥ An unattractive girl discovers
she has magical
powers in The Brides of Rollrock Islandby
Margo
Lanagan.
¥ A 17-year-old girl is attacked by
a vampire, but
is saved by her epilepsy, in Throatby R.A.
Nelson.
¥ Set during the Salem witch
trials, Father
of Liesby Ann Turner tells the story of a
young girl who has
visions and hears voices.
Books for Children
¥ Written and illustrated by Guido
Van Genechten, Guess
What? is a lift-the-flap book with fun visual
tricks revealing
hidden animals. Ages 2 and up.
¥ Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs,as told
by Mo Willems, adds prehistoric flavor to a fairy-tale
classic. Ages 4 and up.
¥ My Brave Year of Firsts: Tries,
Sighs, and High Fives, the 10th
children’s book by actress Jamie Lee Curtis and illustrator
Laura Cornell,
makes trying new things an adventure. Ages 4 and up.
¥ The indomitable Lunch Lady foils
the plans of an
unscrupulous fashion photographer in Lunch Lady and
the Picture Day
Peril, a graphic novel by Jarrett J.
Krosoczka. Ages 7 and up.
¥ Daphne’s strategy to make friends
with the “cool
girl” in fourth grade backfires inThe Fake Friend!
(Daphne’s Diary of
Daily Disasters), by Marissa Moss. Ages 7 and
up.
¥ Steve Jobs Thinking DifferentlyisPatricia
Lakin’s biography of the man who went from college dropout to
cofounder of
Apple computer company. Ages 8 to 12.
¥ Apprentice wizard Sam searches
for the secret to
his magical powers inDragonborn by Toby
Forward. Ages 8 and
up.
¥ A 10-year-old girl is spirited
away from Germany
to England during wartime in My Family for the War by
Anne
C. Voorhoeve. Ages 12 and up.
LIBRARY EVENTS
For Adults and Teens
Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams: Natural
Affinities
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art presents
an art talk about
Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams, two American artists who
shared a lifelong
friendship and a strong appreciation for the Western
landscape. The talk will
explore each artist’s works and include video clips of
O’Keeffe and Adams
describing their approach to making art. Saturday, Nov. 3, 2
p.m.
Computer Lab for Beginners
Are you a new Internet user? Learn how to
navigate the Web, use
search engines, and set up an email account, at this computer
lab for beginning
users. Note that computers are available on a first-come,
first-served basis.
Wednesday, Nov. 14, 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Great Books Discussion Group
Sponsored by the Great Books Council of San
Francisco, this group
reads and discusses famous short stories, essays, and
speeches. Wednesday, Nov.
14, 6:15 to 8:15 p.m.
Henna Body Art: A Workshop for Tweens and Teens
Henna artist Rachel-Anne Palacios shows tweens
and teens (ages 10
to 17) how to apply a free, safe, and temporary henna tattoo.
Choose your own
design and learn how to apply it on yourself or a friend. To
reserve a spot,
call 415-355-5707; space is limited. Friday, Nov. 9, 3:45 to
5:15 p.m.
Events for Children
Books, Songs, and Rhymes
Toddler Tales, for little ones 18 to 36 months,
with parents or
caregivers, features books, rhymes,
songs, and movement. It happens on Tuesdays, Nov. 6, 13, and
27, 10:15 to 10:45
a.m., and 11 to 11:30 a.m.
Flicks for Kids
Children 3 to 5 years old and parents and
caregivers are invited
to watch Preschool Films on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 10:15 to 10:45
a.m., and 11 to
11:30 a.m.
All events take place at the Noe Valley/Sally
Brunn Library at 451
Jersey St. near Castro Street. For information, call
415-355-5707 or go to www.sfpl.org.
