To continue our monthly series of book lists, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library would like to recommend the following books.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. Kentucky, 1964. Doctor David Henry delivers his own children: a boy, Paul, and Phoebe, a girl with Down syndrome. Telling his wife that the newborn girl has died, he gives Phoebe to nurse Caroline Gill. Over time, David's family erodes, while Caroline's family flourishes. Some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. Cassette book RC 63403. Large Print book LP 21687.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Fifteen-year-old Christopher, who exhibits behavioral problems associated with autism, investigates the murder of his neighbor's dog. His severely logical approach leads him down an unexpected path, bringing him face to face with the dissolution of his parent's marriage while providing insight into the workings of his mind. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2002. Braille book BR 15215. Cassette book RC 56893.
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney fall in love, abandon their spouses and children in Chicago, and run away to Europe in 1909. Their five years together are marked by Mamah's feminist ambitions, her conflicting emotions, and the tragic, unforeseen end of their relationship. Bestseller. 2007. Cassette book RC 65372. Large Print book LP 23269.
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. Five small-town Minnesota neighbors form a book club and lasting friendships. There's Faith, a lonely housewife; Audrey, the resident sex queen; Kari, the oldest; Slip, the activist; and Merit, an abused wife. They share three decades of personal dramas. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2003. Cassette book RC 58768. Large Print book LP 19920.
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. When Kate is diagnosed with a rare leukemia, her parents create test-tube baby Anna to save her life. After years of medical procedures Anna, now thirteen, is expected to donate a kidney. She files for medical legal emancipation and throws the family into a fundamental moral crisis. 2004. Cassette book RC 58402. Large Print book LP 20485.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Nineteenth-century China. A matchmaker pairs young Lily and Snow Flower in a lifelong friendship. For years they communicate using a secret code written on a fan, sharing their joys and sorrows until a misunderstanding threatens to destroy their bond. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. Bestseller. 2005. Cassette book RC 60738. Large Print book LP 21464.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. London, 1946. Writer Juliet Ashton corresponds with Dawsey Adams and other members of a literary society created as a front during the Nazi occupation of the British channel island Guernsey. Through letters, Juliet learns about their wartime experiences. Intrigued, Juliet sails to Guernsey, where she finds new inspiration. Bestseller. 2008. Cassette book RC 67526. Digital book DB 67526.
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Enzo, a mixed-breed dog, believes he will be reincarnated as a human. He stands by his master Denny Swift's side through Denny's race-car driving career, the birth of his daughter Zoë, the death of his wife Eve, and a bitter custody battle with Eve's parents. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2008. Braille book BR 17801. Cassette book RC 66787. Digital book DB 66787.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Death narrates the tale of nine-year-old Liesel from 1939 to 1943 in Nazi Germany. Liesel copes with a foster family, air raids, her friend Rudy, and a hidden Jew, sustained by the books she steals. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2006. Braille book BR 17409. Cassette book RC 62431. Large Print book LP 21963.