The Technology of Ancient Rome

McCullough, Naomi. The Technology of Ancient Rome. 2017. Part of the Ancient Innovations series. 64p. ISBN 978-1-5026-2233-4. Available at 937 MCC on the library shelves.

The Roman Empire stretched from the Atlantic to the Middle East and from Britain to Egypt, controlling millions of people and countless countries. The will of the people of Rome motivated these conquests and powered the Empire’s drive, yet the Romans may not have left behind a lasting legacy was it not for their technology, which endures in many forms even today.

Seldom innovators, the Romans instead adopted technologies from those who surrounded them and adapted them for their own purposes, streamlining and increasing efficiencies along the way until they had built an unstoppable imperial machine. Paved roads had been constructed elsewhere in the world, but the Romans are the first to deploy an extensive network of paved roads with distance markers between their cities. Services such as hotels and motels developed along the roads and became popular with travelers. Bridges were constructed of stone and cement and spanned distances previously unfathomable.

Cities benefited from an increase in agricultural harvests with the improvement of water mills. Greek water mills could grind 15 pounds of wheat into flour in a day, but new designs and adaptations by the Romans increased this amount exponentially, such that many mills ground 20 to 30 tons of flour a day. Tools were designed to make the harvest process more efficients. Buildings were also improved with concrete, indoor plumbing and heating, while cheaper apartment building poorly constructed stretched to the skies. Aqueducts delivered water from far distances to quench the thirst of city residents. Bath houses and toilets provided a certain level of sanitary infrastructure unequaled for the next fifteen hundred years. Finally, medical innovations allowed soldiers to survive battles, new calendars more precisely tracked time, and the mass production of weapons and armor ensured that for centuries Rome’s might stood unchallenged.

Noragami: Stray God, Vol. 5

Adachitoka. Noragami: Stray God, Vol. 5. 2015. 164p. ISBN 978-1-61262-995-7. Available in the Graphic Section of the library.

Hiyori is concerned that Yato has not yet released her tie to the spirit world. She promises she will not forget him, but she needs to stop falling asleep at a moment’s notice as very important exams are coming up soon. Yato meanwhile is still escaping the clutches of Bishamon and her shinkis. When Kazuma’s treachery is discovered, he is imprisoned along with a captured Hiyori in Bishamon’s realm.

Meanwhile, Kugaha’s plot to overthrow Bishamon continues apace. His plan is simple. He has already weakened the goddess of war, and now, with Hiyori’s capture he can use her as bait to attract Yato. An encounter between the two should lead to Bishamon’s death, or at least her complete weakening. Yato has already destroyed her household once upon a time, after Bishamon has fallen victim to an ablution that had not cured her infection. Kazuma’s prayer to Yato to rescue Bishamon from the Ayakashi resulted in her shinkis’ death, which save her life. Since then, however, Bishamon has vowed to destroy Yato for what he did.

As the two confront each other, Yato’s shinki Yukiné is ready, but Bishamon’s myriad of shinki provide her with multiple options. Can the Stray God survive her relentless assault and desire for revenge?

The story continues in Noragami Stray God, Vol. 6.

Thornhill

Smy, Pam. Thornhill. 2017. 533p. ISBN 978-1-62672-654-3. Available at FIC SMY on the library shelves.

It is 2016, and Ella and her father just moved to Midchester, in a house abutting the extensive grounds of an abandoned orphanage named Thornhill. Her father works a lot, and Ella often finds herself at home alone. She doesn’t know anyone in town, so she spends a lot of time looking out her window at the ruins that is Thornhill. When she spots a light in the top floor, Ella is curious. Who lives there?

In 1982, Mary is an orphan who lives in Thornhill. Suffering from selective mutism, Mary has no friends and spends most of her time in her top floor bedroom, creating masterful puppets out of fabric and clay. These are her true friends. Unfortunately for Mary, a bully she thought had been adopted for good has been returned to the orphanage for poor behavior. This unnamed bully has been harassing Mary and turning all of the other girls against her. When she was here Mary could not sleep at night and had to watch her every step. Now that she’s returning, Mary confides in her diary that she will never have a moment’s peace.

As Ella investigate the property next door, she finds old broken dolls. She begins fixing them, and eventually she meets Mary. Then Ella discovers that Mary died at Thornhill back in 1982. Mary, meanwhile, tries to deal with her bully but the conditions at the orphanage grow worse as kids are adopted out and the facility readies for closing. When Mary discovers that she and her bully will become roommates in a new institution, it is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. She needs to take matters into her own hands. Will present-day Ella assuages past Mary’s ghost and become her friend?

Mary’s perspective is told through a diary, while Ella’s view is presented through images only. The two stories combine in a beautifully written sad tale of bullying and its consequences.

Short

Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Short. 2017. 296p. ISBN 978-0-399-18621-9. Available at FIC SLO on the library shelves.

Julia mourns the death of her dog Ramon. He had grown up with her and been there for the last five years, and now a heart attack has ended his life. When a production of the Wizard of Oz arrives in town, her mother decides to sign up both her younger brother Randy and Julia to be Munchkins. Julia is not thrilled at all. First, she was looking forward to a summer of freedom, writing to her friends who have gone on vacation, and spending time putting together a memory book of Ramon. Plus, Julia really has a problem with the word short, which Munchkins are. See, Julia’s growth has just not caught up with the fact that she’s a teenager now, and not a child. Julia’s brother Randy, who is still a child, is taller than she is. And she’s heard her parents talk about the fact that she’s very short and they fervently hope she will grow up. So does Julia.

On the first day of auditions, Julia discover Shawn Barr, an acclaimed and award winning director, and suddenly her outlook on the play changes. Maybe this will be a good summer after all. Julia meets Olive, a short person who is guaranteed a role as a Munchkin, along with two other short people. She meets her neighbor, Mrs. Chang, who turns out to be a costumer and who creates a fantastic costume for Julia’s Munchkin role. She’s so good that she’s asked to designed the winged monkeys as well.

As rehearsal days pass and as the show gets closer, Julia finds herself growing both in confidence and in maturity, if not physically. Offered another role as a winged monkey, Julia is scared at first of the flying contraption but she conquers her fear. And through it all, Julia realizes that height is not necessary for success and for happiness, and that endings do not stop but are really the beginning of something better!

Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel

Holt, Kimberly Willis. Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel. 2017. 325p. ISBN 978-1-62779-324-7. Available at FIC HOL on the library shelves.

Stevie and her parents live on a farm in New Mexico, and they sell plants and flowers for a living. She is very knowledgeable about gardens, and enjoys watching the plants grow. Unfortunately, when a car hits their farm stand both of her parents are killed. Stevie finds out while at school. The closest relative available to take her in is her mother’s father, someone she has had no contact with, and who lives in Texas.

Her grandfather is too busy to get her at the bus station, so she is welcomed by Arlo and Roy, her grandfather’s handyman and his middle-school aged son. Arriving at the Sunrise Motel, which her grandfather owns, she discovers that the place is rather dilapidated and run-down. He welcomes her stiffly, and takes her to her new bedroom, her mother’s old room. Roy is excited to meet her, and so is every other staffer and permanent residents at the motel. Winston, her grandfather, does not appear to be happy she’s here, however. Life at the motel is very quiet

Stevie’s parents never told her anything about their past, so Stevie is discovering for the first time bits and pieces of information about her mother and father’s journey through life. Sent to be homeschooled with Mrs. Crump, a very old teacher who also taught her mother, Stevie beings to reconstruct her parents’ lives. She uses her money to plant a garden next to the motel sign, and she looks forward to it blooming.

But when a sister of her father gets in touch with her and offers her to spend time in Louisiana, Stevie agrees to go visit. Now with two possible places to live, where will Stevie choose to go?

Tanks of World War II Up Close

Dougherty, Martin J. Tanks of World War II Up Close. Part of the Military Technology: Top Secret Clearance series. 2016. 224p. ISBN 978-1-5081-7086-0. Available at 623.74 DOU on the library shelves.

Tanks were born in the crucible of World War I where crossing No Man’s Land and breaching through rows of barbed wires and trenches. The vehicles were slow and lightly armed, as their primary function was to escort infantry. This mentality prevailed all the way to the beginning of World War II, when the Germans employed armored vehicles in the hundreds to break through lines and pierce several miles behind enemy lines. Suddenly, armored vehicles were no longer support vehicles but full combatants in their own rights.

American, British, and Russian development took note of the German success on the Western front and began developing better armored and armed vehicles. Whereas at the beginning of the war a 37 mm gun was considered enough, it soon proved to be ineffective against newer tank designs, and both the size of the gun and the size of the vehicle increased to accommodate additional armor, crew, and ammunition.

This book presents the major tanks and armored vehicles used by both sides during the war. Each vehicle features specification, a short history, a three dimensional rendering of the vehicle, and actual war photos showing it in action. A table of content and an index allows to quickly access specific vehicle. Fans of military history and of the Second World War will appreciate the meticulous research that went into creating this book.

Musnet: The House of Monet. Book 1

Kickliy. Musnet: The House of Monet. Book 1 of the Musnet series. 2016. 56p. ISBN 978-1-941250-09-9. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

On his own since birth, Mouse travels from place to place looking for work and for his next piece of cheese. Arriving at Giverny, Mouse meets a sassy mouse girl named Mya who directs him towards a hole in the tree where he might find employment. Mouse discovers the hole is inhabited by Rémi, a squirrel painter who is keen on the old ways of the masters. Rémi is cantakerous, but he grudgingly agrees to take Mouse on as an apprentice. Mouse bargains with the old squirrel and in exchange for his work he expects to receive painting lessons.

Worried about him, Mya finds Mouse camping in the back yard. She warns him about the cat that lives here, and invites him to dinner with her parents. After a hearty meal, Mya’s parents invite Mouse to stay with them in this large manor house. Mya guides Mouse to his own room, filled with books and paintings. She also shows him where the human of the house works. His name is Monet, and he is creating huge canvases with unique color schemes filled with light. Right then and there, Mouse decides that’s how he will paint.

Rémi, however, has other ideas as to what constitutes a classic painting. Over the next few days, Mouse learns more about painting, and he even gets some paints of his own. When he creates his first painting, Mya tells him that his signature is missing. But Mouse has never had a name. So Mya says it’s time to pick one, so he selects Musnet, in honor of Monet and his amazing collection of colors.

Drawn in a style made famous by French artists, Musnet is illustrated with the beautiful colors that made impressionism famous. The story is attractive and its illustrated nature provides a visually appealing complement to Musnet and Mya’s tale.

Musnet's adventures continue in Musnet: Impressions of the Master.

Waking in Time

Stanton, Angie. Waking in Time. 2017. 360p. ISBN 978-1-630790707. Available at FIC STA on the library shelves.

 

It’s a new chapter in Abbi’s life. She’s heading to college. On her way there, Abbi stops by her grandmother’s grave. The most important person in Abbi’s life, she died before her granddaughter moved to her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. The day after Abbi receives a hat box filled with grandmother’s memories, she wakes up in 1983. Abbi meets Professor Smith, a physics instructor, who reassures her they have met in the past, and he is working on preventing her from traveling through time. And he tells her there is one more time traveler. On her next jump back she meets Will, who also travels in time, but in his case he jumps forward. He tells here they’re an item and fall madly in love in the past. As Abbi jumps backward, she discovers that she her fate and that of her family is tied to Will and to Professor Smith. Can she hang on to her true love when they travel in different directions?

Stanton creates an intricate and well-crafted tale with the added twist of a second time traveler in the opposite direction. Abbi and Will’s growing relationship is enhanced by the time travel effect, with one party always knowing more than the other about what has happened, whether in the past or in the future. The setting itself is limited to the Liz Waters dormitory and surrounding areas of the campus, but each time period is well researched. Enough hints are present throughout the story to suggest what will occur, but the it remains filled with mysteries and revelations that will surprise the reader. Fans of Kierstin Gier’s Ruby Red trilogy and of time travel will enjoy Abbi’s travels

Boy Meets Boy

Levithan, David. Boy Meets Boy. 2003. 185p. ISBN 0-375-82400-6. Available both at FIC LEV and as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Paul has always known he is gay. Even in kindergarten, Paul’s teacher knew and told his parents. Paul is fine with that, that’s just who he is. The kids at his high school are very accepting of Paul as well as of the other students with different gender identities. There is Kyle, who used to pine for Paul but their breakup left behind some scars. There’s Infinite Darlene, who is both the captain of the football team and homecoming queen (making many of the girls mad). There’s Jenny, who dates Chuck, much to Trevor’s dismay. And then there’s Noah. Gorgeous and smart Noah. Paul is immediately attracted to Noah when they first meet in a bookstore, and at first their relationship proceeds with caution.

Soon, however, the two of them become more involved, but one incident breaks up this relationship. Now Paul is devastated. To regain Noah’s trust, Paul will have to pull all the stops and cajole his friends in helping him achieve his goal of once again being part of Noah’s life.

An unrealistic school environment, the universe in which Paul and Noah operate nonetheless holds lessons in acceptance and understanding that apply everywhere, including in our own daily lives.

The Old Brown Suitcase

Boraks-Nemetz, Lillian. The Old Brown Suitcase. 2008. 202p. ISBN 9781553800576. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Slava leads a charmed life. She is loved at her house in Warsaw, Poland. She dances in music recitals. She has a younger sister. Her father is a prominent lawyer. But the Nazis have seized power in Germany, and war is threatening. When it finally breaks out, Slava and her parents soon find themselves in the Jewish ghetto, despite not being practicing Jews. As conditions worsen, her sister is smuggled out of the ghetto to a Christian family for safekeeping. Following Hitler’s decision to liquidate the ghetto, Slava herself is smuggled out of the ghetto and sent to the country to live with her grandmother, who married a Christian and is relatively safe. But Slava must pretend to be a niece, instead of a granddaughter.

Reunited after the war with her parents, Slava discovers that her sister did not survive. The family emigrates to Canada, and discovers that adapting to a new country is as hard, if not harder, than surviving the Nazi war machine. Not speaking the language, Slava becomes Elizabeth and enrolls in 9th grade, despite being the oldest student. She struggles with English, Math, and Science, but excels at Latin and French. Bullied for being different, and encountering anti semitism even in Canada, Slava eventually manages to catch up in her schooling. She meets a nice boy, and she discovers what her new life has to offer.

Slava’s story is told in alternating eras, her life in Canada as a teenager and her life in Poland as a child. Through it all she carries a brown suitcase, given to her by her father as a present. From her escape away from the ghetto to her arrival in Canada, Slava relies on the suitcase to carry her meager possessions until one day, she realizes she has outgrown it and no longer needs the security it provided.

Readers who like Holocaust stories will appreciate Slava’s drive to survive as a child and thrive as a teenager.

Cicero

Lowery, Zoe and Fiona Forsyth. Cicero. Part of the Leaders of the Ancient World series. 2017. 112p. ISBN 978-1-50817258-1. Available at B CIC on the library shelves.

The most prolific writer of the ancient Roman world, Marcus Tullius Cicero played a major part in the transformation of Rome from a Republic to an Empire, and lost his life in the process for choosing the losing side. A contemporary of Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, Cicero lived from 106 BCE to 43 BCE, when he was assassinated under the direct order of Octavian. Known for extensive letters and books which covered daily Roman life, Cicero was also a Senator, a scholar, a poet and a lawyer. Recognized as the best orator of his era, Cicero’s ability to motivate crowds is one of the reason he lost his life. Cicero’s personal life thus follows the ups and downs of the collapse of the Republic and the bid of several strong men to take control of Rome, until Octavian successfully crowned himself Augustus.

Fans of Rome and of its dysfunctional political system will appreciate how Cicero was able to exploit, and ultimately fell victim to, a system designed to administer a city, and not an empire.

Black Butler, Vol 10

Toboso, Yana. Black Butler, Vol 10. 2012. 176p. ISBN 978-0-316-18967-5. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Ciel Phantomhive and his guests are confined to the Phantomhive manor due to the storm, and three murder victims lay in the wine cellar, covered with white sheets. The death of two of Ciel’s guests was dreadful, but the loss of Sebastian was worse. Without the elite butler, the household staff is left to its own devices and must pick up the slack.

Phantomhive and his guests continue their investigation of the murders, knowing full well that the murderer or murderers are among them. When the staff catch vicar Jeremy Rathbone in the kitchen, they are convinced they have their thirteenth man and the prime murder suspect. Unfortunately, it is soon revealed that the vicar received a note from Sebastian the night of his murder, and came as quickly as he could from London to assist. Taking control of the investigation, Jeremy soon makes startling discoveries which could endanger Phantomhive and his guests ...

Prisoner of Ice and Snow

Lauren, Ruth. Prisoner of Ice and Snow. 2017. 280p. ISBN 9781681191317. Available at FIC LAU on the library shelves.

Valor is ready to do anything to help her twin sister Sasha. Even if that means making an assassination attempt on Prince Anatol so she can be condemned and sentenced to the ruthless Tyur’ma prison. For that’s where her sister has been sent after she stole a delicate musical box that was intended to cement an alliance between their country of Demidova and the neighboring nation of Magadanskya. And Valor knows that her sister will not be able to survive without her help.

As daughters of royal advisors, Valor and Sasha’s arrests bring disgrace on their family. Valor has a plan, however. She has seen her father’s old maps and knows there is a tunnel beneath Tyur’ma that leads straight to the Royal Palace. All she’s got to do is find her sister, steal a key, and escape with her from the inside of the prison, a feat no one has successfully accomplished in the 300 years’ existence of Tyur’ma. Unfortunately, Valor was not counting on the harsh and treacherous environment imposed by Warden Kirov, head of the notoriously cruel Peacemakers, guardians of the prison.

Now inside the ice walls, Valor finds herself struggling with her captivity. The lack of food, the lack of sleep, the cold, and the overwork is rapidly wearing her down. She knows that Sasha is more delicate, so these conditions must be even harder for her. As she plans her escape, Valor will have to turn to others to help. But with so many spies and criminals surrounding her, whom can she trust?

A well crafted fantasy novel about a place of ice and cold, readers will enjoy discovering how Valor surmounts the struggle to free her sister and prove her innocence.

Lucky Broken Girl

Behar, Ruth. Lucky Broken Girl. 2017. 242p. ISBN 978-0-399-54644-0. Available at FIC BEH on the library shelves.

Recently immigrants from Communist Cuba, the Mizrahi family has escaped the regime with a bare minimum of possessions. Finding themselves living in New York City, the extended family is enjoying freedom but life can be difficult at time. Ruthie’s father works six days a week to put food on the table, while her mother works around the house to ensure that everyone eats well and is clothed properly.

Ten-year-old Ruthie and her brother enjoy their lives in Queens, but she also misses many aspects of Cuba including the food and some of the customs. Living in a cosmopolitan building filled with recent immigrants, Ruthie shares her time with her brother and with friends, including Danielle, from Belgium, and Ravi, from India. First placed in the dumb class at school, she is soon promoted to the smart class once her English gets better.

Unfortunately for her, the Sunday before her move to her new class, the family visits an aunt and uncle on Staten Island in her father’s new car, but a tragic car accident that costs the lives of several teenagers sends her to the hospital with a broken leg. The doctor soon informs her that she will need to spend at least six months in a body cast stretching from her ankles to her chest. She will not be able to seat, move, or even go to the bathroom without help. Her mother now becomes her full-time care giver.

Stuck in bed with nothing to do, Ruthie suddenly has nothing but time on her hands. With a teacher coming to visit every other day, Ruthie soon catches up to her studies and improves her reading skills. But with no chance to experience life outside the four walls of her bedroom, Ruthie’s shrinking world forces her to develop a resilience she did not expect, and she realizes that friends and family are always there for her, even in the worst of times of one’s life.

For another story of Cuban children fleeing their island and integrating into life in the United States, take a look at The Red Umbrella, a story of adaptation in the face of adversity.

Taxation: Interpreting the Constitution

Mapua, Jeff. Taxation: Interpreting the Constitution. Part of the Understanding the United States Constitution series. 2015. 112p. ISBN 978-1-47777-504-2. Available at 343. 73 MAP on the library shelves.

Benjamin Franklin famously once claimed that there were only two things that were for certain in life: Death and taxes. The history of taxes in the United States is a long one, and led to the creation of the country. During colonization, all funding to operate military personnel was provided by the British Parliament and the King, but as wars drained the treasury, the King sought to replenish his coffers by imposing taxes on the colonists so they finance their own defence. Colonists opposed these demands under the claim that since they were not represented in Parliament they should not be taxed, and eventually called for independence.

Having secured peace, the new fledgling government sought to fund itself through various import tariffs and taxes on various products. Several tax rebellions took place and eventually led to the abandonment of the Articles of Confederation and instead a new Constitution was created which allowed for the direct taxation of individuals and corporations.

Various World Wars, recessions, and other events forced the adoption of wider tax schemes. Today, taxes remain as contentious as they were over two hundred years ago, with heated conversations about the role of government and how much, or how little, taxes should be raised to pay for services voters want.

This book does an excellent job of summarizing two centuries of debates central to the country’s operation. The information is presented in everyday language. Many of the Supreme Court’s decisions on taxes are reviewed and analyzed for their impact on the government’s ability to raise funds through taxes. Finally, the future of taxes on the Internet is speculated. Those interested in this discussion will appreciate the overview and coverage taxes are provided in thsi book.

Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 2

Asagiri, Kafka. Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 2. 2017. 197 p. ISBN 978-0-316-55470-1. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Rendered unconscious during his battle with Akutagawa, Atsushi Nakajima comes to back in the offices of the Armed Detective Agency. His actions led to the death of two agents, and Atsushi feels even more cursed than before. He remembers the words of the adults at the orphanage that he should not continue to live. As the realization that the mafia will continue to come for him hits him, he decides he can no longer place the other members of the Agency in danger. He departs, and contacts the mafia to let them know he’s no longer with the Agency, but the mafia still orders a hit on their office.

Fortunately, the Black Lizard group, the mafia’s enforcement arm, is swiftly defeated by the detectives of the Agency. Atsushi accompanies Ranpo to solve the murder of a police detective. Returning to the Agency, Atsushi is reunited with those two agents whom he thought were dead. Thanks to the Agency’s doctor, they have been saved. Atsushi becomes tasked with accompanying her to the shops. Along the way they board a train, but the mafia has set up a trap for them. With bombs on board and many innocent civilians will Atsushi and Yosano be able to save their own lives?

The story continues in Bungo Stray Dogs, vol. 3.