Call the Midwife (Season 1 on DVD) 

Set in the East End of 1950s London, enjoy this new heartwarming series that aired on PBS and is based on the bestselling memoirs of the late Jennifer Worth. When Jenny first arrives, she knows nothing about hardship, poverty, and life itself. But she is brought up to speed fast once she joins a team of midwives who provide care to the poorest of women. We also have the original memoir, Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth, in print and audiobook.

~ Paulette Brooks~

The Family Way by Rhys Bowen

The newest book in the "Molly Murphy" detective series, this light mystery features Molly as a young wife and soon-to-be mother. She finds herself in the middle of infant kidnappings and threats of the Irish anarchy movement, so, how can she stay at home and put her feet up? I enjoyed the turn of the century New York setting and Molly's reliably humorous suffragette friends.

~ Nancy Arevalo ~

Mom and Me and Mom by Maya Angelou (audiobook read by the author)

"Love heals, heals and liberates.  I knew that I had become the woman I am because of the grandmother I loved and the mother I came to adore. Their love informed, educated, and liberated me.”

This memoir is the fascinating story of a daughter and mother – famous in their own rights. When her marriage began to crumble, Vivian Baxter sent three-year-old Maya and her older brother away from their California home to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. Their reunion a decade later began a moving story that has never before been told. A must read if you like the work of Maya Angelou.     

~ Paulette Brooks ~

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (available on Playaway and Unabridged CD book)

I listened to the audiobook, but we also have the hard copy book. This is a story of Anne Boleyn and her fall from favor as Henry VIII's second wife. Though he fought for 7 years to marry her, her inability to give him a son and her strong will have caused him to lose interest in her. The story details Thomas Cromwell's desire to bring down the powerful Boleyn family and the trial of Anne and her suitors for treason. Anne is eventually found guilty and executed, leaving the path clear for Jane Seymour to become the next queen. Even though I know "how the story ended," it was a compelling telling of that particular period of England's history. I listened to the book while on a road trip and often drove a couple blocks further just to hear how an episode ended.

~ Milly Strawn ~

An Intriguing life: A Memoir of War, Washington, and Marriage to an American Spymaster by Cynthia Helms

Cynthia Helms had a first row seat to witness the headlines of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Born British and serving during WWII as Wren, she later became a modern American woman who could give us insights into presidents and Washington players. Not a history book but a personal observation of the happenings of our government in Washington.

 ~  Laurie Fels  ~

Knock 'em Dead Cover Letters and Knock 'em Dead Resumes by Martin Yate

If you’re in the middle of a job search or just want to polish your resume and cover letter, this set of books gives you simple steps to help make your essential career documents stand out above the rest. Updated for 2013, the newly revised 10th editions emphasize the internet’s essential role in one’s job search, and what that means for today’s job candidates who apply for positions electronically.  Both books provide strategies for crafting your documents along with tips for your job search and a plethora of examples to peruse. Beyond resumes and cover letters, you’ll read information about developing your personal brand and marketing it with social media. Avoid the digital black hole and push through the first round of computer gatekeepers to get your documents into the hands of a person. These books could help you get the next job of your dreams.

The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson and Axel Sheffler

Inspired by Alfred Noyes "The Highwayman", adults may see some literary parallels to the original, but the kids will see a funny story about a rat who finally gets what he deserves.

~ Sue Daniels ~

http://www.cafelibraries.org/polaris/search/title.aspx?cn=809471 by Mo Willems

Told with Willems' signature good humor, this is the classic story of an evil fox and a naive chicken - or is it?

~ Sue Daniels ~

Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka (two-time Caldecott Medal winner)

Just in time for spring and all the new bicycle riders who will need encouragement for the challenge.

~ Sue Daniels ~

“Staff Recommends” Compiled by Paulette Brooks