Where the Fur Flies

Human-Animal bonds. Americans love their pets! Just look at all the books written on this subject. Every month there are one or two new titles. This bond is mutually beneficial to our health and well-being. It has existed for thousands of years. In addition to the health benefits, animals actively assist us in many other ways. An unspoken, deeply felt bond is created between animals and people!

The following books are just a few of the many wonderful stories where animals of all types have made our lives richer and fuller. This bond is so good for both species!

Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale or How I Learned About Life and Love with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper. Once in a lifetime story of an extraordinary cat and his human companion. This story about love and hope is funny and moving for anyone who has fallen in love with an animal with a disability. A must read!

An Eagle Named Freedom: My True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Jeff Guidry. The moment Jeff saw the baby eagle with broken wings, his life was changed. "Freedom" couldn't fly but she had Jeff. A very moving story.

Hachi: a Dog's Tale. DVD. Based on a true story from Japan, it is inspirational and heartwarming. I loved this movie!

Angel by My Side: The True Story of a Dog Who Saved a Man and a Man Who Saved a Dog by Mike Lingenfelter. This is about Mike and his rescue golden retriever. When two serious heart attacks and open heart surgery threaten to take away most of Mike's reason for living, Dakota, an extraordinary service dog, is by his side to help him gain his independance. Dakota was '1999 Service Dog of the Year' by Delta Society and was chosen as 'Humanitarian of the Year' by the National Sertoma Club of Dallas. Dakota was the first non-human recipient in history for this award.

Why We Ride: Women Writers on the Horses in Their Lives. Horses are chosen for their beauty, ability, trust, and friendship. They teach us something about becoming stronger, better people. Based on this trust, this is truly a symbiotic relationship. A great book for both horse owners and horse lovers.

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien. I loved this book. The author captured the essence of the soul of Wesley. It is funny, fascinating and powerful. A must read about selfless devotion.

Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat by David Dosa. Touching! A must read for cat lovers or anyone with compassion for humans in a medical setting. This story proves there are no ordinary cats!

For more books about the human-animal bond, check out the November 2010 display by the large print books.

The Green Spot

The Green Spot has a new look! Thanks to our staff teens, decorative pumpkins line the top shelf. Also featured, courtesy of the Long Island Farm Bureau, is a display of local farm stands. Pick up a brochure, "Long Island's Bounty Brought to You by Long Island Farm Bureau," for a list of farm stands in your area where you can go pumpkin picking and more.

Then get into the spirit of the season by picking up a good book. Our "Fall Into a Good Book" display, near the Adult Reference Desk, features some of the best autumn activities. Andrea Chesman's Serving Up the Harvest, an innovative cookbook organized seasonally, celebrates the unique flavors of fresh-from-the- garden vegetables with more than 175 recipes.

For those who prefer celebrating the harvest outside, try Fall Scaping: Extending Your Garden Season Into Autumn by Nancy J. Ondra and Stephanie Cohen with photography by Rob Cardillo. This beautifully illustrated book describes dozens of plants that can bring life to a late season garden. It covers a wide range of growing conditions and color schemes.

Last but not least, here's a little something for the party animal's among us. The Halloween Handbook: 447 Costumes by Bridie Clark and Ashley Dodd is a one of a kind dress-up for grown-ups book. The authors suggest ways of assembling hundreds of classic and original Halloween customes from everyday objects. Combined with holiday lore, party ideas, and seasonal amusements, it's wicked fun!

In the News...

Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods...monster storms aren't just a present-day phenomenon. Read about one of Long Island's worst storms in R.A. Scotti's gripping true story Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938. This dramatic recreation of the hurricane that ripped apart Long Island and the New England coast, has been praised by critics and book groups alike. Scotti draws on archival footage, newspaper accounts, and the personal testimony of survivors. Or, you may want to read Hurricane!, by Joe McCarthy, an earlier book about this same storm that left 650 people dead and 1,754 injured.

Recent reports of tornadoes on Long Island are causing quite a stir. Those unfamiliar with this less frequent but devastatingly destructive event may want to learn the basics from Tornadoes by Michael Allaby. Part of the Dangerous Weather series, these books explain our weather in layman's terms with diagrams and photos.

Tornado Hunter: Getting Inside the Most Violent Storms on Earth by Stefan Bechtel with Tim Samaras tells us the remarkable story of storm chasers who spearhead daring missions to extract secrets from Earth's most violent weather. You'll see the first ever photos from inside a tornado and meet survivors with incredible tales.

Preparedness is the key to the Island's wild weather. Check at the Reference Desk for information from our Emergency Management vertical file, or get advice from one of our numerous books on the subject, such as The Homeowner's Hurricane Handbook by Bob Sterns.

Book Discussion: A Trip to the Stars

Wednesday, September 22
7 to 8:30 p.m.

Written by poet Nicholas Christopher, this unique coming-of-age tale and love story shows us what happens when we lose what matters most. In 1965, a young boy and his aunt become separated when the child is kidnapped by a wealthy uncle. Despite this unnerving event, mysterious ties continue to link the two over the next fifteen years that they are apart.

Spanning several continents, A Trip to the Stars is seeped in mystery, romance, and intellectual adventure. Sign up for the discussion and pick up a book at the Reference Desk.

Patron Picks

Thank you to everyone who participated in Riverhead Reads, our annual adult summer reading club. Here are some of the top-rated book picks from our patrons.

The Shack by William P. Young was one of the most requested books of 2007. Set deep in the Oregon wilderness, it tells the tale of the brutal murder of a family's youngest daughter and her father's attempt to reconcile it--with himself and with God. Multiple copies of this book are available, so if you have not already read it, now is the time!

For those who enjoy reading Pultizer Prize-winning authors, Geraldine Brooks is a must. Her latest title, People of the Book, is enthusiastically read by book groups and receives high praise from our patrons. The story of rare-book expert Hanna Heath takes us back in time as she discovers a series of tiny artifacts in a volume's ancient binding and pieces together the mystery of the book's origins.

Those who enjoy a lighter read may want to try out New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer whose sizzling modern-day western Fearless is sure to please romance readers. Set in the wide open spaces of Texas, it pits an undercover DEA agent against a fiercely independent female rancher.

Finally, The Summons is one of author John Grisham's more current legal thrillers. As a beloved and powerful judge lays dying, he issues a summons for both of his sons to return home. But the judge dies too soon for the meeting to take place, leaving behind a shocking secret.

Look for more Patron Picks on the September 2010 display.

Adult Summer Reading Club: America the Beautiful

Sign up and get your reading kit at the Adult Reference Desk beginning Saturday, June 19.


Get ready for the adult summer reading club 2010--Riverhead Reads: America the Beautiful--celebrating America's wilderness and waterways. This self-guided reading program gives our cardholders a chance to win prizes each time they read or listen to a book. Reading books from the preferred reading list provides an even greater chance to win.

Here are just a few of the unique books from the list...

The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper - One of the most popular writers of the 19th century, Cooper is best known for his Leatherstocking Tales featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo. The Deerslayer is the first chronologically in the Leatherstocking series.



Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani - Set in a sleepy hamlet of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, this modern-day novel is also the first book in a series. Trigiani celebrates small town life with a winning blend of '70s nostalgia and Appalachian local color.


High Country by Nevada Barr - Part of a mystery series, this page-turner features National Park Service ranger Anna Pigeon, whose crime-solving abilities constantly put her in peril.

Return to Wild America: A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul by Scott Weidensaul - Those who prefer non-fiction will love Weidensaul's poetic account of the North American wilderness. The author is one of the world's premier writer/naturalists today.


Ledyard: In Search of the First American Explorer by Bill Gifford - John Ledyard (1751 - 1789), one of the greatest American explorers of all time, is largely forgotten today. In this memorable tribute to him, Gifford traces Ledyard's explorations with Captain Cook, across America before Lewis and Clark.


Check the Riverhead Reads kit for more books on the preferred reading list.

Book Discussion: Blue Highways

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

7 to 8 p.m.

Don't forget to join us for a discussion of Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least Heat-Moon. Traveling around the perimeter of the United States, Heat-Moon discovers true adventure on the nation's back roads--from towns like Remote, Oregon; Simplicity, Virginia; and even parts of Long Island. This classic tale is hailed as a masterpiece in American travel writing.

It also kicks off the theme for the adult summer reading club, Riverhead Reads: America the Beautiful. You may sign up immediately for the book discussion at the Reference Desk. Register for the reading club beginning Saturday, June 19, or check this blog for more information.