Blood, Bullets, and Bones: The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes to DNA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Blood, Bullets, and Bones: The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes to DNA
Author: Bridget Heos
Recommended for: 12th Grade and Up
Pages: 264
Call Number/Link:  J 363.25 HEO

Synopsis: “Blood, Bullets, and Bones provides young readers with a fresh and fascinating look at the ever-evolving science of forensics. Since the introduction of DNA testing, forensic science has been in the forefront of the public’s imagination, thanks especially to popular television shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. But forensic analysis has been practiced for thousands of years. Ancient Chinese detectives studied dead bodies for signs of foul play, and in Victorian England, officials used crime scene photography and criminal profiling to investigate the Jack the Ripper murders. In the intervening decades, forensic science has evolved to use the most cutting-edge, innovative techniques and technologies. In this book, acclaimed author Bridget Heos uses real-life cases to tell the history of modern forensic science, from the first test for arsenic poisoning to fingerprinting, firearm and blood spatter analysis, DNA evidence, and all the important milestones in between. By turns captivating and shocking, Blood, Bullets, and Bones demonstrates the essential role forensic science has played in our criminal justice system”– Provided by publisher.

My Thoughts: Blood, Bullets, and Bones is a curious book. In terms of reading level, it would be accessible for middle schoolers, or even advanced elementary students. In terms of content, however, this book lands squarely in the advanced high school or post-secondary category. Blood, Bullets, and Bones details the history of forensic science, illustrating many of the important scientific advances with actual cases.
These crimes, including those of Jack the Ripper and other serial killers, are described in somewhat graphic detail and some include descriptions of rape cases; arson; adultery, and other inappropriate relationships, one of which involves a 34-year-old man’s inappropriate relationship with a (later murdered) teenaged girl. Some of the other murder cases involve young teenagers, either as rape and/or murder victims, perpetrators, or both.
Much of the scientific and historic information in this book may be useful for academic study. Moreover, footnotes are plentiful, and there is an extensive bibliography. That being said, I would have a difficult time recommending this to anyone but an advanced high school or even college student pursuing a career in forensic criminology, as the disturbing content will almost certainly be too much for younger readers.

 

In Love and In Danger: A Teen’s Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships

Title: In Love and In Danger: A Teen’s Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships
Author: Barrie Levy
Series: N/A
Recommended for: grade 7 & up
Pages: 144
Call Number/Link:  Teen Fiction 362.88 LEV

Synopsis: With one out of eleven high school students in the past year experiencing some form of physical abuse — being hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend — young adults need to know where they can turn for help. Even more teens (as high as ninety-six percent) reported emotional and psychological abuse in their relationships.

This revised and updated edition for teenagers who have questions about abusive dating relationships helps them understand the causes and consequences of their situation, learn what they can do about it, find help from parents and other adults, and discover how to build healthier relationships. In Love and in Danger is one of the only books available on dating violence and abusive relationships that addresses young adults directly in a straightforward and non-condescending manner. Included are facts about dating violence, tips for how to tell if your relationship is abusive, information on why dating abuse happens, and what you can do if you are being abused by (or are abusing) someone you love. Packed with practical advice and compelling interviews with teens, this edition features updated information and statistics, an expanded resource section, and a new afterword by the author.

Review:  We don’t own this on in our collection and, at the moment, I’m going back and forth on if I’ll add it or not. There is some really, really good information in it. I really like how he broke some of it down and gave explanation to the different kind of abuse. However, there are parts that just don’t work for me. For example, the opening chapter is all teen stories, but they don’t quite work for teens. They’re more about teens who are pulled out of their family homes more than normal day-to-day dating. The little blurbs/quotes given through the rest of the book work way better. Also, there was a safety plan at the end that was more geared toward college age or adults. Most of it would really work for our grade 6 – 12 teens. There is also a part where he says “if you stay” which makes me cringe because no one should stay in an abusive relationship. I think better phrasing would have be “if you can’t get out yet…” or something like that.

I am leaning towards buying it because 90% of it is really go and there are hardly any books for teens on this topic.

 

Golden Boy

Title: Golden Boy
Author: Tara Sullivan
Series: N/A
Recommended for: 6th Grade and Up
Pages: 384
Call Number/Link:  Teen Fiction Sullivan, T

Synopsis: Habo has always been different from everyone he knows. Light eyes, yellow hair, and white skin. Many in his African village call him a zeruzeru, a ghost boy, a nothing. It’s not until his family goes to live with his aunt in Mwanza that Habo learns zeruzeru has another meaning, albino. Of course, even in this new town, he finds out being a zeruzeru is bad. Here he won’t be ignored, instead he’ll be hunted because albino body parts are thought to bring new luck.  And one hunter, Alasira, has gotten way too close and has already made one attempt on Habo’s life.

On the run, Habo finds himself in Dar es Salaam where albinos are supposed to be safe. The only problem is the city is HUGE and Habo doesn’t know where to go next. When hunger takes over, he tries to exchange an old man’s meal for money, but Kweli, a blind carver has other plans. Instead, he offers Habo a place to stay and food in exchange for helping him around the house. As Habo settles in, for the first time in his life, he finally feels at home! He even learns he has a talent for carver. But when a demon from his past returns, he realizes his running days may not be done after all.

Review: This is one of those “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” books. Even I was like, eh, when I had to read this one, but OMG it’s easily one of my favorites on the Caudill list. It was one I didn’t want to put down and couldn’t wait to see what happened next. The beautiful thing about it is that while the situation is unique, there are emotions that everyone can relate to. Those feeling of belonging somewhere are universal.

The sad thing, is that albinos are truly hunted in Africa, so while it is fiction there is a spark of truth behind it. All in all a very good book that I recommend to all.

 

Welcome to Camden Falls

Title: Welcome to Camden Falls
Author: Ann Martin
Series: Main Street
Recommended for: Girls 3-6 grade
Pages: 192
Call Number/Link:  J MAR

Synopsis: Flora and Ruby do not want to move to Camden Falls. But they don’t really have a choice — their parents are dead and their grandmother, Min, is taking them in. It’s strange to be in a new place. But luckily, it’s a very welcoming place.

Review:  This book is the first in a series of ten, in which I have read the first five books.  I am enjoying it, and in some ways it is like a typical girls friendship books series and in some ways it is not.  Flora and Ruby have lost their parents in a car accident and now have to move in with their grandmother in Massachusetts.Older sister Flora is shy and Ruby is outgoing, so the author does a great job of showing how both girls work through their grief.  Along with this issue, other characters  both adult and child are dealing with some pretty heavy problems; such as Alzheimer’s, racism, abusive parents, and Downs Syndrome.   The books have characters with these issues and its handled in a  gentle way.  It’s not all sunshine and roses, but still there and in a very realistic way.

I would recommend for girls that enjoy a little tragedy in their books, starting with about third grade. There is not even a little bit of romance in the series but I still don’t think that there is much boy appeal in these books.

 

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

Title: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
Author: Linda Williams
Series:
Recommended for: Preschool to First Grade
Pages:
Call Number/Link: E WILLI http://pinnacle.polarislibrary.com/polaris/search/title.aspx?ctx=7.1033.0.0.6&pos=3

Synopsis: Once upon a time, there was a little old lady who was not afraid of anything! But one autumn night, while walking in the woods, the little old lady heard . . . clomp, clomp, shake, shake, clap, clap. And the little old lady who was not afraid of anything had the scare of her life!

 

 

The White Rose

 

Title: The White Rose

Author: Amy Ewing

Series: Lone City Trilogy

Recommended for: Ages 14-17 

Pages: 358

Call Number/Link:  TEEN FICTION EWING, A.

 

 

Synopsis: The compelling and gripping sequel to Amy Ewing’s debut, The Jewel, which BCCB said “Will have fans of Oliver’s Delirium, Cass’s The Selection, and DeStefano’s Wither breathless.”

Violet is on the run—away from the Jewel, away from a lifetime of servitude, away from the Duchess of the Lake, who bought her at auction. With Ash and Raven traveling with her, Violet will need all of her powers to get her friends, and herself, out of the Jewel alive.

But no matter how far Violet runs, she can’t escape the rebellion brewing just beneath the Jewel’s glittering surface, and her role in it. Violet must decide if she is strong enough to rise against the Jewel and everything she has ever known.

My thoughts:  I loved this book so much after I read the first book that I read it in one day.  It is very entertaining and for The selection fans this is a must.  Girls, injustice, a higher ruling class with a bit of ancient mysterious magic.  The cliffhanger is too die for.  Can’t wait until the last book of this trilogy comes out next fall.

 

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp

 

Title: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp

Author: Rick Yancey

Series: 1st book in a trilogy

Recommended for: Teenagers 13-17 years old

Pages: 339

 

Call Number/Link:  TEEN FICTION YANCEY

Synopsis: Alfred Kropp is the last person you’d think could save the world. But when this oversized underachiever gets roped into a suspicious get-rich-quick scheme, his life takes a turn for the extraordinary. Little does Alfred know he has been tricked into stealing Excalibur–the legendary sword of King Arthur–and the most powerful weapon ever wielded by man.

With an ancient order of knights in hot cars, thugs on motorcycles, and a mysterious international organization following his every lumbering step, Alfred undertakes a modern-day quest to unravel a thousand-year-old mystery and return the sword to its rightful place.

My Thoughts: I loved this book because it was interesting and engaged the reader with twists and turns along the way. This would be a great book to recommend to fans of the Percy Jackson books because it involves magic in the English legends with an awkward teenager.  Kids would love this trilogy.

 

 

Thank You and Good Night

Title:   Thank You and Good Night
Author:   Patrick McDonnell
Series:   –
Recommended for:   preschoolers, early elementary students
Pages:   32 pages
Call Number/Link:   E MCDONNELL, P.

 Rating:   ***** 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Maggie hosts a pajama party at which Clement, Alan Alexander, and Jean play a variety of fun games, tire themselves, and drift off to sleep, but not before sharing their gratitude.

Comments:

I had to tell all of you about this book because I loved it so much!  I thought the illustrations (and text) were charming.  I don’t have reason to test this out, but I think I could read it as a bedtime story every night for 2+ years and STILL like it.

Storytime themes:  bedtime, friends, stuffed animals, thankfulness.

 

 

 

I Thought This Was a Bear Book

Title:   I Thought This Was a Bear Book
Author:   Tara Lazar
Series:  –
Recommended for:   Older preschoolers and elementary school students
Pages:   32 pages
Call Number/Link:   E LAZAR, T.

Rating:   ****

 

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Prince Zilch from Planet Zero crash lands in the Three Bears story, and it is up to baby bear to figure out a way to get him back to his own book.

Comments:

This may be the most innovative twist on The Three Bears that I’ve ever seen.  After an unfortunate bookshelf incident, Alien suddenly finds himself tumbling from his own book into The Three Bears.  Zooks!

The story is a blend of Alien trying to return to this own land (book) and the bears blundering through attempts to help him.  A certain blonde girl also makes an appearance.  Thank goodness for Baby Bear, who saves the day.

Possible storytime (or program) themes:  aliens, spaceships, bears, creative thinking, fractured fairy tales, interactive books.

 

 

 

Sew Zoey: Ready to wear

Title: Ready to Wear
Author: Chloe Taylor
Series: Sew Zoey
Recommended for: Ages 9-12
Pages: 164
Call Number/Link:  J TAY

Synopsis:  Over the summer, fashion-loving Zoey Webber gets the best news ever: Her middle school is getting rid of uniforms! There’s just one problem. Zoey has sketchbooks full of fashion designs, but nothing to wear! So with a little help from her best friends Kate and Priti, she learns to make her own clothes. She even begins to post her fashion design sketches online in a blog. That’s how the Sew Zoey blog begins, and soon it becomes much more. Zoey’s quirky style makes her a bit of a misfit at middle school, but her Sew Zoey blog quickly gains a dedicated following. Real fashion designers start to read it! Yet even as her blog takes off, Zoey still has to deal with homework, crushes, and P.E. class. And when the principal asks her to design a dress for the school’s fashion-show fund-raiser, Zoey can’t wait to start sewing! But what will happen when her two worlds collide?

I chose this book because it is the first in a series we have been adding to the J Fic collection. I found it entertaining for the age group it is written for.  The characters are in middle school, but there is no reason that a strong 2nd grader reader couldn’t read it (at least the first book).  The topics are innocent enough.  I like that Zoey is her own person with her own style and she is not afraid to stand out while being herself.  There is mention of the fact that Zoey’s mom died a long time ago, and I would guess that the topic may be covered in more detail in future books. I would not mind reading more volumes to see where Zoey and her friends go!