Hi!  This is Rachel Malay, director at the Port Library in Beloit. For the next few weeks I’ll be focusing on titles that, while not newly published, are newly available at the Port Library.

This week’s review is of a title in audiobook form.  Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo is a narrative nonfiction. That is, everything in the book is true but it is told like a novel, with several storylines. Annawadi is a poverty stricken settlement just outside the Mumbai airport in India. Before 2012 all India was in a cycle of prosperity as was most of the globe. Although he is a garbage picker, Abdul sees a fortune to be made by going through and sorting the recyclables the rich throw away. Asha came from rural poverty and her road to middle class security lies in her beautiful and successful daughter, soon to graduate from college and hopefully marry a rich politician. And even the poorest citizens of Annawadi, like Kalu the scrap metal thief, have hope they can aspire to a better life. But then Abdul the garbage picker is accused of a crime, global recession hits, and suppressed tensions over caste classes, power, religion, and more spill into hopes and dreams of a better life. Author Boo paints a beautiful and relatable picture of the modern global age and the most individual of hopes and dreams in little Annawadi. This title is available in the audiobook version now available, or in our large print nonfiction section.

You can get the book reviewed here and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit, on the North Campus. This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”


Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
ISBN: 9780307934055, 7 sound discs (8 1/2 hours)
Adult Audiobooks Non-Fiction

Hi!  This is Rachel Malay, director at the Port Library in Beloit. For the next few weeks I’ll be focusing on titles that, while not newly published, are newly available at the Port Library. 

Published in 2010, In With the Devil by James Keene tells a thrilling true story of crime, punishment, intrigue, and redemption. Keene grew up the small town hero, star athlete in school, and the son of a well-known cop in a small town just outside Chicago. However, in high school and college he got into drugs and then small time drug dealing. As an adult it caught up to him and in 1997 James Keene was sent to prison with a ten year sentence and little chance for parole. However, his charismatic personality, likeability, and ability to make friends caught the attention of the very prosecutor who had sent Keen to prison a year earlier. In a Federal Medical Center for Prisoners a state away sat Larry Hall, a man the government knew had committed serial murders.  Trouble was, Hall wasn’t opening up to anyone. James Keene had an opportunity and a choice: voluntarily go undercover to the psychiatric hospital/prison and try to befriend and get a confession from Larry Hall, or sit in local prison for ten years or more. There was a chance for early release if Keene was successful. With his situation in jail and at home changing Keene took the government up on the offer. As fast paced as any thriller in the fiction section, this title is absolutely all true, and will be shelved with the library’s other true crime novels.

You can get the book reviewed here and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit, on the North Campus. This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”

In with the Devil by James Keene
ISBN: 9780312551032, 254 pages, photographs
Adult True Crime (Non-Fiction)

Hi!  This is Rachel Malay, director at the Port Library in Beloit. This is the last week of our reviews from Andrea Weidenhaft, the Youth Services Librarian at the Port Library. The summer library program has started, and if you’re interested, call the library and ask to speak to Andrea.

20 Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street written by Mark Lee is a counting story about what happens one afternoon when a little boy goes for a bike ride. While out on his ride, an ice cream truck breaks down in the middle of the street. Soon after, a mail truck pulls up behind and is unable to pass. The boy watches as more and varied big trucks line up along the street. He rides is bike along the traffic jam and looks at all the different trucks, but sees one who could help move the trucks along. He tries to get people’s attention, but no one will listen. He yells even louder and people start to listen to his idea and put it into action! He watches as the trucks move on and then gets himself a cool ice cream treat. This book is great for little boys who love trucks of all kinds or kids learning to count. The pictures are colorful and full of detail, sure to keep a child’s attention!

If you have a young reader or reader-in-training at home who can’t get enough of trucks, the library has several more picture books all about trucks. I am a Garbage Truck by Ace Landers has been popular in recent months and Jon Scieszka has an entire series called Trucktown that starts with picture books and continues into early readers. The Trucktown series is perfect to transition your young story listeners into story readers. And if you want a break from books, try our DVD section for a couple live-action titles all about big trucks and how they work. Just bring mom or dad ask a friendly librarian to point you in the right direction.

You can get the book reviewed here and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit, on the North Campus.  Just follow Hersey Avenue north, and at the end of the North Campus drive look east to see the library’s new exterior building sign.  This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”

20 Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street by Mark Lee
ISBN: 9780763658090, fully illustrated
Children's Picture Books

Hi!  This is Rachel Malay, director at the Port Library in Beloit. For the next few weeks our reviews come from Andrea Weidenhaft, the Youth Services Librarian at the Port Library.  Children’s programming takes a break for the month of May, but as June starts tomorrow we’re looking forward to the Summer Library program starting next week. If you haven’t signed up but want to, call the library for more information.

The Maze Runner is a young adult dystopian book written by James Dashner. Sixteen year old Thomas wakes up to find himself in complete darkness traveling on a lift. The only thing he can remember about himself is his name, he has no other memories and has no idea how he got where he is. The lift deposits him in an enclosed area called the Glade with about 60 other boys. The boys have survived on their own using farming methods and the supplies given to them on the lift. A new boy arrives every 30 days on the lift. The Glade is surrounded by what the boys call The Maze, which they have been trying to escape for about 2 years. The Grievers are the nightmarish creatures that live in the Maze at night. Every morning the doors to the maze open, and every night they shut. No one has survived a night out in the maze. When a girl arrives on the lift who has ties to Thomas, things begin to change. Thomas starts being looked at as the leader and has to try and figure out how to help them all escape, before everyone gives up hope. Thomas knows he has the answers on how to escape the Maze, he just has to unlock his memories. This fast paced book is great for people who loved The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau. It’s the first in an action packed, fast paced series that will leave you wanting more.

You can get the book reviewed here and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit, on the North Campus. This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
ISBN: 9780385737944, 375 p.
Young Adult Fiction