Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America
By Karenna Gore Schiff

Schiff, Al Gore's oldest daughter a lawyer and journalist, has put together a collective biography of nine outstanding American women of the 20th century. The more celebrated objects of her book include Ida B. Wells-Barnett (1862–1931), an African-American journalist who brought the horrors of lynching to public attention; Mother Jones (c. 1837–1930), an Irish immigrant and lifelong crusader for workers' rights; and Frances Perkins (1882–1965), the first woman Cabinet member, appointed by FDR. Schiff also illuminates less renowned but highly influential figures, including Alice Hamilton (1869–1970) a physician and pioneer in calling attention to the dangers of industrial poisons, and Septima Poinsette Clark (1898–1987), child of a former slave, who became a teacher and tireless advocate for racial equality. Several of the subjects are still alive, like Dolores Huerta, cofounder with César Chávez of the United Farm Workers, and Gretchen Buchenholz, who established the Association to Benefit Children. Schiff has done excellent research, and though her prose isn't especially stylish, she shows her heroines as fully rounded figures.
Copyright - Publishers Weekly

Criss Cross - by Lynne Rae Perkins

Perkins's novel, a thoughtful, subtle character study in which paths cross in unexpected ways, is told through vignettes from mostly teen points of view. Perkins's humorous and poignant observations about Debbie, who wants something to happen, and Hector, who learns to play guitar, are compelling. Danielle Ferland remembers her own youth well or has hung out with teenagers recently. Her portrayal of their budding self-awareness bordering on self-consciousness is especially sharp, and she perfectly mimics the questions? teens ask when talking? in addition to their sarcastic downturns and flat tones. Ferland also easily navigates the potentially treacherous waters of Perkins's sometimes- experimental prose, which includes haiku, poetry, and Q & A formats. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Ball Don't Lie - by Matt de la Pena

"I think God put me here to play ball," says 17-year-old Sticky. Shuffled between foster homes since childhood, the skinny, white teen devotes himself to playing basketball at Lincoln Rec, a gritty Los Angeles gym, where he has found a family among the serious players, mostly black men. In colloquial language filled with the words and rhythms of hip hop and the street, Pena's debut tells a riveting story about Sticky's struggle to secure a college basketball scholarship and deepen his relationship with his girlfriend. The disjointed narrative, which loops between past and present, may slow a few readers. Others, though, will see the nonlinear story as a reflection of Sticky's own internal journey as he faces violent childhood tragedies, his numbed emotions, and his sometimes-compulsive behavior (he repeats actions such as shoe-tying until they feel right). Teens will be strongly affected by the unforgettable, distinctly male voice; the thrilling, unusually detailed basketball action; and the questions about race, love, self-worth, and what it means to build a life without advantages.

Gillian Engberg - Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

The Encyclopedia of Professional Wrestling: 100 Years of History, Headlines & Hitmakers
by Kristian Pope and Ray Whebbe, Jr.

One-hundred years of professional wrestling: From "shoots" to "works," carneys to cage matches, heroes to villains, it is all here in a bold and colorful manner.
Featuring nearly 500 incredible photos, this color book takes a look at the most notable events in the fascinating history of professional wrestling and highlight its greatest stars, from legends like Frank Gotch, William Muldoon, Lou Thesz and the Fabulous Moolah, to today's superstars like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Chyna, Triple H, and Lita. In these pages, you'll find tough guys and heroes, the managers fans love to hate, ring beauties, oddballs, freaks and monsters, tag teams, famous feuds, finishing holds and moves, and everything in between.